The Sound of Music
by Faraway
Summary: [COMPLETE] Sakuno is a college student and dreams of being a pianist, while sharing a friendship with Fuji. Ryoma, now a tennis pro, enrolls at the same university. RyoSakuFuji.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Befor you read: this is not a sequel to Princess of Tennis, nor is it lighthearted comedy, though again, Sakuno will be a stronger person. This fic is gonna be pure sappy (crappy?) romance.

So if my warning hasn't deterred you, read on!

Chapter One

Ryuzaki Sakuno pulled her scarf tightly round her neck as she walked. Although it was springtime, the temperature has not risen much. Besides, she was rather vulnerable to coldness. A few students passing by wore only light jackets, while she was clad in a heavy coat, thick sweater, and a long, fluffy scarf.

While she headed towards the arts building, cherry blossom petals fluttered gently down in a shower of pink. Breathing in the lightly-scented air, Sakuno closed her eyes for a second.

She loved college. It was not always a bed of roses, but for most of the time, she enjoyed the intellectual atmosphere of books and lectures, the entertaining social life from clubs and societies, the semi-independent state in which she could make her own decisions with appropriate guidance.

But what she loved most of all was the opportunity to pursue what she loved.

Since she was four, Sakuno had started taking piano lessons. At first it was pure fun; she was fascinated by making noise through her fingertips on the row of black-and-white keys.

She made rapid progress; she had proceeded to a certain level in one year, while it would normally take two or three years for others. She had a strange thirst for the songs she liked. If she really liked a song, she would try to play it, even though her fingers might be too short.

Then her teacher suggested she enter the annual regional piano contest. Sakuno won first prize in the 812 age group.

"Sakuno is the best student I've ever taught." Sakuno heard her teacher tell Ryuzaki Sumire. "If she keeps this up, she could be a professional piano player."

A professional! Sakuno thrilled from top to toe. She imagined herself wearing a long, elegant gown, sitting before a glossy piano, and playing a song so lovely that it would bring tears to the audience. Or even better--playing in an orchestra.

Sakuno wanted to fulfill that dream. She loved playing the piano, and Ryuzaki Sumire encouraged her to continue, as long as it was what she really wanted.

But things didn't go as well as expected.

First, Sakuno's teacher moved abroad. Her new teacher was a crabby old man who was once a nationwide famous performer, but had extremely high expectations. No matter how hard she tried, he always found fault with her performance. He often lost his temper, and she was inclined to cry, though she managed to prevent the tears from overflowing.

Second, she met an arrogant boy called Echizen Ryoma. He was stunningly good-looking, with his glossy black hair and cat-like eyes, and by god, his attractiveness multiplied tenfold when he played tennis.

Sakuno was drawn to him, even though he seldom displayed interest towards her. Because tennis was his life, she also took up tennis, despite she had like, zero aptitude. Yet she persisted; she loved watching Ryoma play, so why shouldn't she follow his footsteps?

Because of these two reasons, the top of her piano started to gather dust.

Ryuzaki Sumire wasn't exactly pleased with Sakuno's change. She had nothing against tennis, being a tennis coach herself. It was just a pity to abandon the piano when you've made such a good head start.

However, when Ryoma left for America, and Sakuno was left to struggle with tennis without his presence, she gradually realized that she didn't really like tennis. She played it--only in hope to attract someone's attention--and now that someone was gone, her motivation was snuffed out as well.

She wasn't made for tennis. She never was.

When she swung the tennis racket, she felt clumsy, stupid, exposed. Like every little flaw in her was magnified tenfold. Every time she missed the ball, she tried to laugh. She trained harder, only to have Tomoka beat her 6-2. And Tomoka only practiced tennis occasionally.

Her former piano teacher paid a visit. Amazed that Sakuno had stopped playing the piano, her teacher requested Sakuno play one song for her. Just one, as a treat.

Sakuno could not refuse, so she mopped away the dust on the piano lid, and got out her old music sheets. When her fingers touched the territory that was once so familiar, the old feeling came rushing back to her.

She remembered the days when she practiced and practiced, the sun shining brightly, the wind wheezing, or rain pattering on the window. She remembered the times when she performed before an audience, and seeing her grandmother clap her hands and smile proudly. She remembered her former teacher telling Sumire, "Sakuno is the best student I've ever taught."

Sakuno resumed her lessons. It was still difficult, but now she no longer felt depressed. After taking a detour, she was re-affirmed where she belonged. It brought a new fervour that was stronger than before.

Sakuno worked harder than ever, winning an advanced level certificate and several major competitions. She entered university by early decision; her resume was enough to get her a piano major.

Now her goal was to go to Julliard, to study under great masters, to work with great performers, to broaden her horizons. The university offered a couple of scholarships, and Sakuno was determined to win it. A music career is costly, and she would do her best to earn her way towards success.

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Echizen Ryoma was very, very irritated. Not that it was anything new to him--he rarely got through one day without being annoyed at something, whether it may be fans trying to mob him or that he didn't have any change for a can of Ponta.

Life.

He hadn't wanted to go to college. His life was busy enough, what with the tournaments and interviews and companies begging him on bended knee: "Please sponsor our latest product!"

Like he needed more complication--go to some stuffy old classroom and fall asleep in some boring old lecture.

But Rinko had forced him to go. "No son of mine is going to have only a high school diploma," she said. "Your agent will see to everything."

And of course his father wasn't much help either. "Why would you turn down such a tempting opportunity to meet beautiful young college girls?"

Yeah, right. Screaming lunatics was more like it. Once he set foot on the campus, the next second he thought there was an earthquake. Every she-creature within a ten-mile radius came thundering to his side, yelling his name, begging for an autograph, a picture together, a lock of his hair, you name it.

Ryoma wondered what his mother would say, had she witnessed the torture her son was subjected to, and all because she insisted that he go to college.

When he finally extracted himself from the crowd, his hair dishevelled, his shirt rumpled, and his hand shaking from all the signing he had to do (autograph-signing was even more damaging to the wrist than tennis!), Ryoma seriously thought of hiring a bodyguard. Screaming fangirls sapped more energy than a long rallying match.

Just then, his cell phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Echizen!" Momo's hearty voice greeted him. "Heard you're back in Japan."

"Momo-senpai." Now this was a pleasant surprise. "Long time no see."

After conversing for a while, Momo said, "Listen, wanna meet up this Friday? I've found a place that serves the biggest burgers you've ever seen!"

Having lived in America for six years, Ryoma doubted that Japan could produce a burger comparable to the monsters in the States, but he agreed. He wanted to see Momo, and all the old crowd from Seigaku.

"Sure."

"Great! I'll notify the others...the more the merrier! See you Friday."

When Ryoma hung up, he took a look at his watch. There was still plenty of time before his next class, but considering that he was accosted every five minutes, Ryoma decided he might as well start walking.

As he predicted, several girls came up to him in the relatively short walk from the school gates to the labs. If Inui were here, he might have his notebook ready: "Chances of Echizen being picked up on campus--200 percent."

Halfway to the labs, he felt a light touch on his arm.

"Ano--"

Ryoma whirled around, thoroughly irritated. "I said no!" he snapped.

To his surprise, he met a pair of large cinnamon brown eyes that seemed strangely familiar to him. He knew those eyes. But when? Where?

"Sorry." The girl whispered. "I--your pen just--" she held out his fountain pen.

Wordlessly, Ryoma took back his pen. He continued to gaze at her--rather shamelessly--those soft brown eyes, the small, heart-shaped face, the tint of maple red in her nut-brown hair, which fell on her shoulders loosely in long, feathery curls. Now, a faint pinkness crept onto her cheeks, under Ryoma's unwavering stare.

"Ryo--Ryoma-kun?"

He knew that voice. It has been six years since he last heard that voice, but sixty years later, he'd still recognize it.

"Ryuzaki."

A smile started to blossom. She was not drop-dead gorgeous, but there was a special magnetic charm around her. Something that he hadn't noticed before.

"Hai. I'm so glad you recognized me."

"Un."

A few passing girls shot Sakuno death glares. She noticed, but parried them calmly. Having known the Seigaku regulars (a.k.a, regular hotties), she was used to dealing with petty jealousies and the like.

"When did you come back?" she inquired.

"Last week."

"Why? Sorry, I know it's none of my business, but I wondered..."

Ryoma shrugged. "My mother made me get a bachelor's degree."

"But why here? Why not America?"

Ryoma opened his mouth, but no words came out. Truth be told, he didn't know either. If he wanted to see his former friends, he could have just hopped on the plane and back. There was no need to dig out his Japanese passport, search for an appropriate university major that could fit his schedule, apply, pack a load of luggage, locate a suitable flat in a safe neighborhood, and of course, bring Karupin junior.

Maybe he simply missed having a proper Japanese breakfast.

"Just felt like it." he grunted. "Anyway, why are you asking so many questions? I don't remember you being so inquisitive, Ryuzaki."

"Sorry." she said instinctively. "I mean, it's been a long time. Anyway," she smiled. ", welcome back."

Her eyes were brimming with genuine pleasure, and somehow Ryoma found that refreshing. He disliked the fanatic/lunatic adoration showered on him as much as a cat hated rain, but Sakuno's simple friendliness was another thing. It was one thing he lacked and needed, especially since he turned pro.

"Thanks."

Just then, the sound of the bell reached their ears.

"Oh no!" Sakuno's hand flew to her mouth. She was supposed to be in class in five minutes!

"Sorry. I have to go now!"

"Wait." The word slipped from his mouth.

Surprised, Sakuno stopped and stared at him.

"I'm meeting Momo-senpai on Friday night. Wanna join us?"

She smiled, but shook her head. "Thanks for the invitation, but I can't. I'm working on Friday."

"Work?" Ryoma raised his eyebrows.

"Yes. I'll see you around!"

Ryoma watched her hurry away, her long, red-brown hair flying behind her. It was a queer feeling; he couldn't remember one occasion when a female said no to him. Apart from his mother forbidding him to drink more than five cans of Ponta a day, but whatever.

Not that he cared. He just thought that since Momo said "the more the merrier", he might as well ask Ryuzaki.

Then he realized that it was five minutes past the bell. Crap.

Run, Ryoma, run!

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Fuji Syusuke stood beside his car, waiting for Sakuno. When she came running down the street to him, the sash of her dress fluttering in the wind, he wished he had his camera with him.

In fact, he couldn't remember how many times he wanted to take Sakuno's picture.

It was strange, really. When he first knew Sakuno, he only thought of her as a shy little girl, trailing after Echizen like a lost kitten. After Echizen left for America, she seemed to have lost her interest in tennis. She did come to their games once in a while, but she looked tired.

A few months later, Fuji was helping the photography club prepare for the annual photo exhibition. It was Saturday, and the school seemed uncommonly quiet. While walking along the corridor, he suddenly halted.

Music was wafting through the air--beautiful, haunting, memorable. If music could be called food, what he heard now was a marvellous feast. First it sounded like a thunderstorm, and gradually turned into a light shower, like dewdrops slipping off a rose leaf, sparkling and clear.

He followed the source of the music, going up a flight of stairs, and arrived at one of the music rooms. Through the polished windows, he could see a slender girl bent over the piano, her fingers dancing up and down the keyboard, hitting the keys with remarkable precision. Not only was she able to get all the notes right; she poured her soul into the song. Through the melody, she seemed to convey a message that was bright, cheerful, and friendly.

Of the girl herself, he was unable to see her face, but her back profile was already a lovely picture. Her hair, like a silken waterfall, cascaded down her back, ending in curly ringlets. Her dress was the colour of lavender, the curves of her arms slipping out from the sides, and just in a fleeting second, he caught sight of long lashes and a small pert nose. She seemed familiar, but right now, he wasn't bothered about that. He happened to be carrying his camera, and the chance was too good to miss.

Fuji took out his camera, adjusted the lens to the right angle, and pressed the button, a second after the girl struck the last key.

The sound of the camera was audible in the air, and the girl turned. Brown eyes widened at the boy standing outside, camera poised.

"Fuji-senpai?"

"Ryuzaki." After the first shock, Fuji quickly fixed his most reassuring smile. "I apologize for interrupting you."

"No--I'm almost finished. What are you doing here on the weekend?"

Fuji told her about the photography club. "And then I heard the sound of music, so I came to see who was playing." His smile deepened. "I never knew you were so skilled at the piano, Ryuzaki."

Sakuno blushed. "Fuji-senpai is too kind."

After conversing for a while, Fuji encouraged her to play another song.

"Do you mind if I take a few pictures?" he raised his camera. "Just for practice; I need to improve my skills in snapping moving objects."

Sakuno complied, and played one of Chopin's most exquisite pieces. Fuji snapped away, and when he was done, he sat on a chair and leaned back, allowing the music wash over his ears.

That was the first of several meetings. There was no formal agreement; Fuji simply showed up when Sakuno was practicing, armed with his camera, and Sakuno, though embarrassed, allowed him take any number of photos to his heart's content.

Besides, it was better than being alone. Tomoka usually had to mind her brothers on the weekends, and even if she were free, she was easily bored. Fuji, on the other hand, was a good listener, and after she got used to his presence, his camera did not distract her. And if it was late, he always accompanied her home.

It was a weird sort of friendship, but not unwelcome.

When she entered university, Sakuno was surprised to receive a phone call from Fuji. His little niece, five years old, wanted to learn the piano. Could she spare some time for a few lessons?

Surprised, yet appreciating the chance to earn her own keep, Sakuno accepted.

Since then, the suspended friendship between them resumed. Sakuno went to Yumiko's house once a week to give the music lessons, and almost every time, Fuji drove her. It was no trouble, he insisted, and he could pick up Yumiko's daughter, Yuzuyu, on the way.

Knowing that Fuji was usually busy (he attended medical school), Sakuno sometimes made bentos for him. At first it was a challenge to adjust to Fuji's peculiar taste, but Sakuno had some natural aptitude for cooking, and soon had Fuji praising her culinary skills in no time. They would find an empty music room, and Fuji would finish his bento while Sakuno played the piano. Tomoka, along with many others, saw this as a romantic date, but Sakuno did not think so. Fuji treated her like a little sister (she sometimes suspected she was a subsitute for Yuuta), and she was only doing what she could to repay his kindness.

Sakuno leaned back on her seat, and glanced at Fuji. She had seldom observed him closely. Now she admired his neatly-combed hair, the colour of hazelnuts, his sapphire-blue eyes, his delicate mouth that was curved slightly upwards, as it usually was.

Fuji-senpai is really good-looking, she thought. It was strange that he didn't have a girlfriend. With his charming manners, handsome features, and that permanent smile, it shouldn't be hard. But as far as she could see, he treated every girl with the same reserved politeness. But then, she couldn't read his true feelings behind that cordial mask. Maybe it was unrequited love. Or...could it be love that dared not speak its name?

No! Sakuno shook her head quickly. How could she let her thoughts run wild?

"Ne, Sakuno-chan," Fuji's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Did you hear that Echizen is back?"

"Yes, I did." Sakuno sat up straight. "In fact, I met him today."

"Did you?" Fuji's tone carried a hint of surprise and amusement. "How fortunate, since our campus is enormous."

"Iie." Sakuno blushed. "I just happened to see someone's pen fall on the ground, and then I realised it was him."

"Well," Fuji turned round a corner. "Momoshiro texted me earlier. He's meeting Echizen on Friday, and wants to get the 'old crowd' together."

"Oh." Sakuno remembered Ryoma's invitation.

"I think I can make it, so if you're going as well, I can drive you."

"That's very nice of you, but I can't." Sakuno looked apologetic. "I've work on Friday."

"You can't ask for a day off?"

"I thought about it, but one of our waitresses caught a fever. We're already short of staff help, so if I ask leave as well, the restaurant will be a disaster."

"I see." Fuji said. "Sakuno-chan is a very responsible and considerate person. Your boss is lucky to have you."

"Iie!" Sakuno shook her head. "It's my job."

"Just make sure you don't work too hard, okay?" Fuji patted her head. "If Sakuno-chan falls sick, many people will be worried."

If someone else patted her on the head, Sakuno might be offended. She was twenty years old, no longer a child. But Fuji had always treated her like a little sister, it had become so natural that she barely noticed.

"Hai, Fuji-senpai."

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A/N: Hey guys! Hope that this fic hasn't bored you so far. Blame it on Fuji, I just love writing him, but NOT as a yaoi character. Don't get me wrong, slash is fine but just not my thing.

Personally, I think this fic is kind of a compensation for the paucity of romance in Princess of Tennis, though on the other hand, this fic won't be funny--I've used up my supply of humour! Also, as I'm also working on another story, this fanfic won't be updated very often--probably once a week.

Reviews will be much appreciated.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I'm home!" Sakuno called.

While she was taking off her shoes in the threshold, Tachibana Ann appeared, grinning.

"So you're back, Sakuno!" Ann made a "hurry-up" gesture with her hand. "Come on, Tomoka and I made pasta!"

Footsteps echoed on the floor, and Tomoka appeared. She was wearing an apron, smeared with puttanesca sauce and holding a spatula in one hand.

"SAKUNO! DID YOU HEAR THAT RYOMA-SAMA IS BACK?"

Sakuno nodded, deciding to save the fact that she met Ryoma in person for later, or Tomoka might drop the spatula on their new door mat.

"Okay, Tomoka." Ann said, grinning. "How about you go take off that apron first? There'll be plenty of time to talk about Echizen Ryoma."

The three girls settled in the living room. It wasn't huge, but cozy and comfortable. There was a low table in the middle, with fat, squishy cushions handmade by Ann's grandmother. A small TV was set in the corner, with an even smaller radio/CD player on one side, and on the other side, a bookshelf. At the other corner was a life-sized Hello Kitty that Tomoka won in a contest. A few pictures of Canadian landscapes adorned the wall.

While Tomoka brought three steaming plates to the living room, Ann got lemonade from the fridge, and Sakuno poured kitty food into a saucer for their cat, Ryo-chan. Sakuno and Tomoka had found a stray kitten in the neighbourhood, and since the three of them liked cats and the landlord didn't mind animals, they decided to keep him. Tomoka insisted on naming the cat Ryoma, but since the name was easily confused when they talked of Echizen, eventually the cat became Ryo-chan.

"Momo-senpai texted me," Tomoka said excitedly. "He wants to know if we can come on Friday to meet Ryoma-sama! Are you going, Sakuno?"

"Gomen, Tomo-chan," Sakuno said, giving her friend an apologetic smile. "I have work on Friday. One of our waitresses is sick, so I don't want to ask leave."

"Told you so," Ann said. "I'd love to come as well, but as Sakuno says, we can't afford to."

"Besides," Sakuno added, seeing that Tomoka was looking disappointed. "I've already met Ryoma-kun today."

Two forks froze in mid-air. Ann and Tomoka stared at Sakuno.

"He happens to go to Tokyo City University too," Sakuno said.

"Oh! But I didn't see him--damn! And I thought I was lucky today to only have one class." Tomoka fretted. "I should have stayed on campus right after class!"

Sakuno wondered if Tomoka was still aware that she had a boyfriend. Tomoka had been going steady with this guy from swimming class, and they had to endure her talking about him nonstop 24/7.

"It must be fate, Sakuno," Ann joked. Since she started living with Sakuno and Tomoka, the girls had frequent chats, and once when talking about things past, Ann had learned about Sakuno's brief history with Ryoma.

"Yeah, right." Sakuno smiled. She had long got over her juvenile crush on Ryoma. Or so she thought.

"Anyway," Tomoka waved her fork in the air. "Tell us how, when, and where did you meet Ryoma-sama! How does he look now?"

"Hey, you just saw his picture on paper last week," Ann said.

"But not up close!" Tomoka said. "Come on, Sakuno, spill."

Sakuno did, and was extremely glad when it was over. Tomoka pressed her for every single little detail, while Ann sat there with a seemingly innocent face, but her eyes were glinting mischievously.

"And that's it?" Tomoka said. "You just ran off when the bell rang?"

"Well, Professor Ishiguro doesn't like us to be late--"

"And you didn't get his number?"

"Um, I'm sure Momo-senpai or someone has it." Sakuno patted Tomoka's hand. "Come on, Ryoma-kun is now in our school, and we're his old friends. Surely we will meet him again."

"Yeah, but I think he will be very busy," Ann said. "He's still a tennis pro, and with classes and all, I doubt he'd have much time for social life."

"Well..." Tomoka sighed. "...I suppose it's useless."

"What do you mean?" Sakuno said.

"I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for you to pounce! As far as the news says, Ryoma-sama is still single, right?"

"Tomo-chan, I've told you before, that was ages ago." Sakuno sipped her lemonade. "I think of him no more than a friend. Besides--" her voice dropped to a soft whisper, as she recalled the days when Ryoma still went to Seigaku. "--we weren't really friends. Just an acquaintance."

Tomoka looked at Ann, and Ann looked back at Tomoka. Then the two girls looked at Sakuno.

"Well!" Ann said brightly. "Look at the time! Let's start cleaning up, okay? My world literature professor gave us loads of homework, and it's due the day after." She started to pile up the plates.

"You want more lemonade?" Tomoka asked Sakuno, who shook her head.

Tomoka carried the pitcher of lemonade back to the kitchen, and Sakuno cleaned up the table.

The rest of the night was rather quiet, as Ann studied and Tomoka watched television.

Sakuno originally planned to study as well, but she didn't get beyond the first page.

Why was she so adamant in refusing to go on Friday? Of course, there was a good reason: her job. But what if she were free? Would she have jumped at the chance?

Or perhaps--was she afraid of seeing Echizen Ryoma again?

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"Excellent, Ryuzaki, excellent!" Professor Ishiguro said. "You have really grasped the essence of this sonata, and the finale was simply perfectly executed."

Sakuno blushed. "Domo arigatou, Ishiguro-sensei."

Ishiguro waved his hand. "I do not praise easily. If I say you're good, you are! No need to be modest."

Sakuno couldn't repress a giggle. "Hai, sensei."

"Here's a suggestion." Ishiguro drummed his fingers against the piano lid. "Would you like to join the orchestra and perform in the upcoming music festival?"

"Me!" Sakuno could not believe her ears. "But sensei, I'm only a sophomore..." Usually one has to be at least a junior to receive such a privilege.

"I say you can, and you can do it." Ishiguro raised his eyebrows. "Are you questioning my judgement, Ryuzaki?"

"Iie!" Sakuno shook her head vigorously. "It's just so sudden, it's such a honor, I couldn't believe it at first."

"Then consider it a done deal. It will look excellent on your resume, as you've told me you want to go abroad when you graduate?"

Sakuno nodded.

"Good. Now go, and don't forget to report to Goda-sensei, who's going to lead the orchestra this year."

Sakuno almost skipped as she walked down the corridor. To play with the orchestra! It showed that her ability was affirmed. And what fun it would be, collaborating with the orchestra. She usually practiced on her own, sometimes with another partner, but very rare did she participate with a large group.

Imagine, for example, the sound of violins and flutes fading out...and then the tinkling of her piano keys take over...and then the thunder of cellos...

"Hi Sakuno!" Someone hugged her from behind. "Did you miss me?"

"Nodame!" Sakuno said. It was one of her best friends in her piano department.

Nodame is a pretty girl with sparkling brown eyes, and short hair held back by a flowery hair clip. She is cheerful and bubbly, but sometimes displays a lack of intelligence.

"Ne, Sakuno, did you hear that Echizen Ryoma is in our school?" Nodame grinned.

"Of course." Did Nodame just learn the news today? "I saw him yesterday."

"Did you did you?" Nodame clutched Sakuno's arm. "Ne, Sakuno, can I ask you one question?"

"Sure." Sakuno waited for Nodame to ask for Ryoma's autograph, phone number, e-mail address, or something like that.

"Is it true that Echizen Ryoma has six fingers on his left hand?"

"Wha--" Sakuno stared at her. "Of course not! Ryoma-kun is perfectly normal. How did you get such a notion?"

"Oh," Nodame twiddled her fingers. "It's because Echizen Ryoma is so powerful with his left hand, so Nodame thought maybe he has six fingers."

Sakuno couldn't see why an extra finger would empower Ryoma's tennis, but she decided to leave it.

"Let's have lunch," she proposed. "I'm starving."

At the mention of lunch, Nodame immediately brightened, as Sakuno knew she would. Nodame is so fond of eating that she sometimes even nicks others' food.

"Let's go!" she cried. "And Sakuno, can we have lunch with Echizen Ryoma today?"

"Today? I don't think it's possible--hang on, why do you think that we can have lunch with him?"

Nodame smiles slyly. "Sakuno just called him 'Ryoma-kun,' not 'Echizen,' which means you must know him."

"Nodame!" Sakuno was exasperated. Really, one cannot predict when this girl is stupid or smart.

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Sakuno hurried across the campus. She was tired from classes, but she had to be on time for her job. She had to earn her way to graduate school.

When she reached the restaurant, Ann was already there.

"Hurry!" she whispered to Sakuno. "Boss is already in a bad mood. Natzumi tripped on a rubber duck and spilled soup on our best customer."

"Oh my." Sakuno quickly changed into her uniform. Although she was sorry for both waitress and customer, she couldn't help feeling amused at the scene. "But why is there a rubber duck in our restaurant?"

Ann pointed to a chubby infant sitting on a baby chair, waving a rattle.

"No talking!" Their boss suddenly barked at them. "There are customers waiting!"

Sakuno quickly transferred herself into waitress mode, which means "Keep smiling even if your jaws hurt."

An hour later, Sakuno went to the bathroom to steal a little time. Her arms and legs were aching, and she splashed her face with water.

When she came out, Ann sidled up to her and whispered, "Table ten."

"Huh?" Since table ten was obscured from view, Sakuno walked straight over there. Luckily, she wasn't carrying anything, or she might have dropped it.

Ryoma, Momo, Eiji, Fuji, Kawamura, Inui, Oishi, Tomoka, and a few other Seigaku alumni were sitting at that table.

"Why, isn't it Ryuzaki-chan!" Eiji cried.

"Great-o! Fantastic!" Kawamura said.

"Hello, Ryuzaki." Oishi nodded at her, smiling.

"Sakuno! Quit staring and come here!" Tomoka said. She winked at Sakuno and made a V-sign with her fingers. Apparently, Tomoka had something to do with the coicindence of the Seigaku ex-regulars gathering together at this restaurant.

"I'm sorry!" Sakuno bowed slightly. "I didn't expect you would be here."

"Hope we aren't bothering you, Sakuno-chan," Fuji said, causing Ryoma to look towards him with a questioning eye.

"Iie! Not at all!" Sakuno shook her head. "So have you decided what to order?"

"Is there anything special you can recommend?" Oishi and Eiji asked at the same time. They are, after all, the Golden Pair.

"Um, the three-meat lasagna is supposed to be irresistable. The triple-deck burger, served with fries and salad, is also very popular. So is the coconut curry with beef and potato." Sakuno said. She purposefully chose those with hearty portions, knowing that their appetites were insatiable.

"How about dessert?" Fuji said.

Sakuno knew he only asked for the others' benefit, as Fuji himself often came to the restaurant for a quick snack before driving Sakuno to her piano lessons.

"Mango cheesecake, lemon meringue pie, devil's food cake are most popular. For these desserts, I'd recommend the following beverages in order: Earl grey with milk, iced mocha, and chrysanthemum tea."

"Wow, Ryuzaki," Momo said. "You sound so experienced."

"She should be, Momo-senpai." Ryoma said. "It's her job."

Sakuno flushed slightly. She wasn't sure if Ryoma was being complimentary or sarcastic.

Soon everyone ordered, most of them following Sakuno's recommendations, and Sakuno hurried to the counter.

"So how did it go?" Ann said, as she waited for an order to be completed.

"Okay." Sakuno laid the order of table ten on the counter with a light thunk. "I'm glad to see them of course, but looks like we're going to have a hectic night. Brace yourself."

Ann's order was completed, so she picked up the trays and walked off.

Just at this moment, an elderly couple who looked foreign entered the restaurant.

Sakuno was a trifle dismayed; she received decent grades in written English, but somehow she got tongue-tied whenever there was a chance to talk to foreigners.

But Ann and the other waitresses were busy; she had no choice.

Sakuno hurried over to the door and gave her best smile.

"Welcome!" she bowed, hoping her Japanese accent wasn't too obvious. "Two?"

"Yes." the old woman said. "Could you please let us have a quiet place to sit?"

"Ano--" Sakuno could feel her palms growing moist. "--I mean, sorry! Can you speak slowly? My English is not very good."

"They want a quiet place to sit." Ryoma's voice suddenly came behind her. "I doubt you can find one, since Momo-senpai, Kawamura-senpai, and Kikumaru-senpai are here," he added.

"Thanks, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno smiled at him.

She did her best to guide the elderly couple to the farthest corner in the restaurant. Ryoma stayed by her side when the elderly couple ordered their meal, translating whenever necessary.

"You really have to improve your English," he remarked, when Sakuno finished taking their order. "Tokyo is a very international city. You should be prepared to deal with foreign customers."

"Well, I'm doing my best, but it's so difficult." Sakuno sighed. If she wanted to go abroad, she really had to improve her English.

"I thought you studied English since junior high." Ryoma said.

"Yes, but--"

"Six years is quite a long time to learn a language. Surely you had enough brain cells for _that_."

"Ryoma-kun," Sakuno whipped back and looked at him, straight in the eye. She was smiling slightly, her voice was pleasant, but she didn't seem happy at all. "You know, not everyone has the privilege of learning a language abroad. If you haven't forgotten, we used to learn English through textbooks. Unfortunately, we couldn't converse with foreigners every day."

There was a slight thunk on the counter. Two trays of food were ready to be served.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Sakuno picked up the trays. "I have work to do."

She passed him without another glance. Ryoma watched her go, and noted the brisk way she walked, yet balancing the trays on her arms with a certain grace.

Was this the Sakuno he had known in junior high? She seemed much more capable; the clumsiness she usually possessed was completely gone. Furthermore--did she just tell him off?

"Ryuzaki actually has a temper." Ryoma thought to himself. Then he imagined that if he were Inui, he would have jotted this information down.

Interesting.

When the meals arrived, Momo exclaimed out loud, "This is heaven!"

Sakuno smiled, as she sneaked peeks at table ten whenever possible. It was just like old days, when the Seigaku regulars won a game and went out for dinner. Even though she wasn't a member of the squad, nor could she jabber away like Tomoka of Horio, she was always content to sit in her place, eat quietly, and enjoy the noisy yet cheerful ambience.

Only Ryoma had really made a name for himself in tennis. Some others had participated in college tournaments, but nothing big. All the rest of them had their own dreams and ambitions now.

Ah, the remembrance of things past...

"Sakuno!" Ann exclaimed. "There are customers waiting at table seven! Hurry!"

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It was well past ten until the waitresses was allowed to leave.

The Seigaku regulars had left half an hour ago. Eiji was whining, "I want to sing karaoke!" Sakuno and Ann were invited, but both declined. They were weary enough from a full day of school and work.

"Come on!" Eiji begged. "Karaoke is fun! And it's ages since we all got together! It'll be really--"

"Eiji," Fuji interrupted in a kind, but firm voice. "The girls are tired."

Ryoma didn't look too excited about going to the karaoke either. Anyway, he rarely was exited about anything, save for tennis.

Finally, the ex-regulars left the restaurant, but not before making Sakuno and Ann promise that one day, they'd all go out together.

"God, what a day," Ann said, yawning.

"We'd better go home quickly, or we'd miss the last bus." Sakuno said. There was so much to do tomorrow, she thought. She had to study in the morning, take another shift in the afternoon, and give a piano lesson for Yumiko's daughter.

When they reached home, Tomoka was already sitting on the sofa, watching TV and eating crackers.

"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno said, surprised. "Didn't you go with them to the karaoke?"

"Oh, but it's no fun without you," Tomoka said. "You know, being the only girl there."

"I'm going to shower, if you guys don't mind." Ann yawned again. "God, I swear when I've saved enough for a new laptop, I'm gonna quit."

"Let me know when you're finished." Sakuno quickly said. "I desperately need a shower too."

Back in her room, Sakuno tumbled on her bed. She would like to go to sleep right away, but she was used to taking a shower before bedtime. She preferred going to sleep with a clean, refreshed body instead of a sweat-soaked one.

The sound of Tchaikovsky's Sugar Plum Fairy roused her from her slumped position. It was her cell phone ringing.

Sighing, Sakuno reached for her phone, without even looking at caller ID.

"Hello?"

A deep, masculine voice. "Ryuzaki."

Sakuno almost dropped the phone. "Ryo--Ryoma-kun?"

"Yeah."

Sakuno sat up, feeling a lot more awake than ten seconds earlier. "Why are you calling me--hang on, how did you get my number?"

"Inui-senpai."

Right. Inui would have the whole world's cell phone numbers, what with his data-gathering skills and such.

"Okay." Sakuno waited for him to go on. It seemed like a full minute before he spoke.

"About today--I'm sorry."

"Eh?" What was he talking about?

"About your English. I shouldn't have said those things."

"Oh." To tell the truth, Sakuno had forgotten about it until now. "It's okay. I was wrong too, I shouldn't have lost my temper."

"Didn't know you had one."

Now _that_ was mean. So in Ryoma's eyes, she was a pathetic, spineless doll?

"I'm tired," Sakuno said, trying to keep herself from exploding on spot. "If you don't have anything else to say--"

"Wait. Look, I don't know why I acted like this, but I am sorry. Suppose I make it up to you?"

"Like what?" Sakuno asked, without thinking.

"Have dinner with me."

Sakuno almost dropped her phone again. "Di--dinner?"

"Is that so surprising? From how you looked in that restaurant, I figured you could use a good meal."

Sakuno wondered if she should be glad or not. What did he mean--that she was model-like thin, or scarecrow-like scrawny?

Considering that he seldom complimented others, it was more likely the latter.

"Um, Ryoma-kun, I appreciate your invitation, but I have a busy schedule--"

"So do I. If you can't make dinner, how about brunch?"

"Sakuno!" Ann knocked on her door. "I'm done; it's your turn!"

Sakuno quickly put her hand over the phone and raised her voice. "I'll be out in a sec!"

"All right then." she said hurriedly. "So when do you want to meet?"

"I'll text you."

"Good. Well. Thanks. Bye."

Once in the shower, Sakuno suddenly stopped, the soap still in her hands.

Did she just agree to go on a date with Echizen Ryoma?

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A/N: Nodame is based on the character from Nodame Cantabile--an excellent Japanese drama-adapted-from-manga, by the way. Ishiguro is an original character. I got the name from one of my favourite authors, Kazuo Ishiguro. Also, Tokyo City University is purely fictional.

Ryoma may seem kind of out of character. I don't know, when writing a romance, he seems insisting on being more bold/talkative/active than usual. Anyway, he's a grownup now, so it _is_ possible that he's a little different.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Sakuno! Your boyfriend is waiting for you!" Tae called.

Tae was a senior waitress at the restaurant, and to Sakuno and Ann, she was like a big sister. However, there was one teensy little flaw in Tae--she loved to nose around in everyone's love life.

Sakuno glanced at the restaurant entrance. Fuji was there, looking immaculately handsome in a white shirt and jeans.

"Tae," Sakuno set down an empty tray on the counter. ", he is _not_ my boyfriend. Fuji-senpai is just a friend from school."

"_Just_ a friend?" Fuji's voice sounded behind her. "I'm hurt, Sakuno-chan."

Sakuno whirled around. He was smiling, but god knows what really went in his head.

"Fuji-senpai...I..."

"Just kidding." His smile was intact. "Come, or the traffic will be heavy. Good evening, Tae-san. Ja."

Fuji put his hand on the small of Sakuno's back, and led her away. Sakuno looked back for a second, and saw Tae giggling silently. Although Tae hid half her face with a plate, her eyes were crinkled with amusement.

Fuji-senpai was only being nice, she thought, rather vexed and embarrassed. It was quite common for him to open the door for females, carry heavy bags for his sister and mother, and help the elderly cross the street. He would have done the same for Tomoka or Ann, were they the ones teaching his niece how to play the piano.

On their way to Yumiko's house, Fuji seemed to have forgot about their brief conversation in the restaurant, and made casual remarks about the weather and school. Sakuno was glad. Perhaps he was kidding after all.

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Yumiko had married a wealthy businessman, and their residence was a large, luxurious place with a front yard and swimming pool. Sakuno always admired the house, but most of all, she loved the grand piano which Yumiko purchased for her daughter. It was a glossy, black instrument, with keys made from the finest spruce available. When she played on that piano, Sakuno could almost imagine herself a concert pianist.

When they entered the house, a little girl ran towards them and flung her chubby arms round Sakuno's waist, crying, "Sakuno nee-chan!"

"Yuzuyu, please." Yumiko admonished her daughter, but she was smiling.

"Nee-san." Fuji greeted his elder sister, and then spotted Yuuta perched on the edge of the sofa. "Yuuta! What an unexpected pleasure to see you."

"I'm baking blueberry pie today, so I invited him over." Yumiko said, smiling. "As you know, Yuuta cannot resist my homemade desserts."

Yuuta scowled. Sakuno hid a smile as she nodded towards him. Sometimes she pitied him, being the younger sibling to Yumiko and Fuji, who of course loved him but also could not refrain from teasing him.

"Pie!" Yuzuyu cried. "Yuzuyu wants pie too!"

Fuji squatted down and patted Yuzuyu's head.

"Yuzuyu-chan, Mummy has to assemble the ingredients first. When you finish your lesson, the pie will be ready. So go with Sakuno nee-chan now, and be a good little girl, okay?" He smiled at the child, and she nodded obediently.

Watching Yuzuyu trot away with Sakuno like a little lamb, Yumiko looked at her brother with appreciation.

"You have a way with children, Syusuke. Maybe you had better study child psychology instead?"

"Or be a male nanny." Yuuta muttered under his breath.

"In fact, I intend to specialize in pedology." Fuji replied. "I like children, and I want to help them. It would give me great pleasure to relieve them from the pain of illness, and see them smile."

"You'll make a good father, Syusuke." Yumiko said teasingly, as she measured flour and sugar. "By the way, aren't you going out with Sakuno-chan?"

Fuji smiled--the secretive, mischievous smile that Yuuta always resented. "Do we look like a couple?"

"_Are_ you, then?" Yuuta asked, demanding clarification. He always got irritated with Fuji's tendency to be ambiguous.

Fuji's smile grew wider. "Ne, Yuuta, I am touched that you are so interested in my love life."

Yuuta shook his head and grunted. Fuji was in his teasing mood, and Yuuta could sense that his big brother had no intention of telling the truth.

Anyway, he wouldn't worry. Fuji was not a promiscuous playboy, despite his popularity with girls. Moreover, from what he had observed so far, Sakuno seemed to see Fuji as a big brother. It would be nice if they went out, though. Yuuta thought most girls were too giggly and light-headed and dim-witted. Sakuno at least kept her head on her shoulders.

An hour later, Sakuno and Yuzuyu emerged from the music room.

"You're just in time!" Yumiko smiled. "Blueberry pie is ready."

"Yay!" Yuzuyu cheered, climbing up on a chair.

"What did you learn to play today, Yuzuyu-chan?" Fuji said, placing a piece of pie on the little girl's plate.

"'Twinkle, twinkle, little star!'" Yuzyu reported excitedly. "Yuzuyu is going to perform it in the talent show!"

"Talent show?" Fuji's eyes twinkled. "Then I must come and witness Yuzuyu's wonderful performance."

Sakuno wondered how Fuji managed his time. Medical studies were supposed to be _very_ stressful, but he was never late to pick her up, and he always participated in the photography club's exhibitions. But then she remembered Fuji is a prodigy, and prodigies are well, different.

"Sakuno-chan will come too, won't you?" Yumiko passed Sakuno a cup of chamomile tea. "The teacher should be present in the student's performance."

"I'll do my best," Sakuno said. "I'd love to come to Yuzuyu's show, but I have a lot to do."

"Sakuno-chan's waitressing is very tiring," Fuji explained. "She works very hard to earn her way to go abroad."

"I see," Yumiko's eyes twinkled. "Maybe you can marry Syusuke when he becomes a doctor. Then you won't have to work so hard."

Sakuno blushed scarlet. So shocked she was that she was temporarily stripped of speech.

"Nee-san!" Yuuta said. He knew Yumiko liked to tease people sometimes (after all, she _is_ Fuji's sister), but this was a bit too far.

Fuji, however, seemed amused.

"Would you like Sakuno nee-chan for an aunt, Yuzuyu-chan?"

He sounds as if he had already proposed, Yuuta thought, and scowled. Couldn't he see that Sakuno was squirming with discomfort?

"Un!" Yuzuyu nodded eagerly. "Yuzuyu would like that very much!"

"A-NI-KI." Yuuta said, emphasizing every syllable.

"Okay, okay, enough teasing." Yumiko said, smiling. "Anyway, do let us know if you can attend Yuzuyu's show. And Yuuta, are you coming?"

Yuuta hesitated. He had a soft spot for his niece, but going to a kindergarten talent show to see loads of toddlers sing in their baby voices and jump around like monkeys?

"Please, Yuuta ji-san?" Yuzuyu said, tugging on his sleeve.

Yuuta sighed. "Fine. I'll make an appearance."

"Yay!" Yuzuyu cheered, and much to Yuuta's horror, she climbed onto his lap and flung her chubby arms round his neck.

Yumiko began to chuckle at Yuuta's helpless expression, and Sakuno joined in, giggling. A second later, she met Fuji's eyes across the table. He smiled, and a sudden warmth rushed to Sakuno's cheeks, causing the last giggle fade away on her lips.

Immediately, Sakuno focused on the piece of blueberry pie on her plate.

It wasn't like she hadn't seen Fuji smile before. In fact, she had seen him smile like that many, many times.

So what was wrong with her?

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"RYOMA-SAMA INVITED YOU FOR BRUNCH?"

"Tomo-chan." Sakuno sighed. "It's just having a meal together. He wanted to apologize. It's NOT what you think."

As she spoke, Sakuno thought she was denying things a lot recently. First Fuji, and now Ryoma.

"Where will you be going?" Ann asked with a grin.

"Um--" Sakuno checked her text message. "Cesario's."

"Cesario's?" Tomoka said. "I think I've seen it before--hang on--" She dashed away to her room.

In a flash, Tomoka was back, holding a copy of Tokyo Times, a well known magazine for what's hot on the moment.

"Look!" she said, pointing to a certain article.

The three girls gathered together and read:

_A long-time favourite with brunch lovers, Cesario's is well known for its fusion of British, continental Europe, and American breakfast all day long. Situated in the trendy area of XXX, the thirty-year old restaurant offers its customers an attractive, European style atmosphere with top-quality food that can satisfy even the most particular gourmet. _

"Very nice." Ann smiled. "Look at the photos! It seems a great place to eat out."

"Have you decided what to wear, Sakuno?" Tomoka asked excitedly.

"Uh--"

"Come on!" Tomoka grabbed her arm and pulled Sakuno to her room. "We must find the perfect outfit for you to seduce Ryoma-sama!"

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Ryoma was fifteen minutes early. A waitress had come out twice to ask him have a seat, but he refused.

"I'm waiting for someone. Later."

"Oh! Your--your girlfriend?" the waitress faltered.

"Nope." Ryoma glared. "Leave me alone."

He didn't know what made him act like that yesterday. Well, it was kind of typical of him to say insensible--almost heartless--things, but he never cared before.

Yet the hurt in Sakuno's eyes somehow made him feel like the biggest jerk in the world.

And the way she struggled to keep her temper and be civil, the way she delivered her speech in a firm, sweet voice, the deft manner she handled her job (except for the part concerning the foreign couple) --all those things left a deep impression in his mind.

Ryoma shook his head, as though that would make Sakuno vanish from his mind.

Which was absolutely pointless, because the next second, she appeared. She wore a soft white sweater that reached her mid-thigh, a thin silver necklace, a pair of grey jeans, and black boots. A simple outfit, but with her sparkling eyes and flowing hair, Ryoma thought her less annoying than the other girls (or even boys) who dressed like Christmas trees, covered with baubles and trinkets.

Little did he know that Tomoka and Ann had spent three hours combing their wardrobes for this outfit. Tomoka's suggestions all bordered on the skimpy side, but since it was still cool and windy, Sakuno firmly refused. Ann's ideas were met with more approval. In the end, the sweater and boots were borrowed from Ann, and the necklace from Tomoka. Only the grey jeans was Sakuno's own possession.

"Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno greeted him, and took a quick look at her watch. She was five minutes early. "When did you arrive?"

"Earlier than you." he said, unwilling to own up how long he waited. "Anyway, shall we go inside? I'm starving."

As soon as they entered, a group of waitresses rushed over, bowing and smiling. Ryoma and Sakuno were shown to an attractive place by the window.

Sakuno tucked her legs under her chair, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Ryoma had certainly picked a good restaurant. The walls were of polished maple wood, each table had a vase of fresh daisies, and soft melodies from Kevin Kern's In the Enchanted Garden drifted through the air, accompanied by the smell of cinnamon bagels and cappucinno.

Homelike, yet at the same time, surreal.

For she was sitting with Echizen Ryoma, two-time winner of the U. S. Open, first place in Wimbledon, first place in France Open, and now only had to win the Australian Open for a career Grand Slam.

From a handsome kid, he had grown into a ravishingly-attractive man. Large, brilliant eyes, glossy raven hair that almost covered his eyes, and a complexion that rivaled any Hollywood star. Not to mention a lithe, well-toned body which plainly showed what a powerful athlete he was. No wonder the females shrieked and swooned.

The only thing that hadn't changed was that infuriating attitude.

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Momo was in a very good mood. For one thing, he received a 95 on a test he had killed numerous brain cells studying. For another, he found 100 yen on the road! 100 yen was a tiny amount of money, so Momo just slipped the coin in his pocket.

"Today is my day!" he declared.

As he walked, or more like, strutted down the sidewalk, he suddenly noticed a very interesting scene in a distance.

Echizen Ryoma and Ryuzaki Sakuno were standing together near a restaurant! A second later, they went in! They were on a date!

"That was fast, Echizen," Momo mused. "In Japan for less a month, and already you're going out with Ryuzaki? Or maybe--they've been carrying a secret affair behind our backs!" Knowing Echizen's fame, it was possible that he preferred to keep his private life to himself.

Whatever the truth was, Momo was determined to spy on them. Not that he wanted to sell the story to the tabloids, but from pure, unadulterated curiosity.

Like a rocket, Momo shot over to the restaurant, and entered.

A delicious aroma greeted him. It seemed a nice place, but where were the staff?

"Momoshiro-kun! Over here!" a girl's voice.

"Oh? Am I that famous?" Momo thought, smirking. And then he spotted Tachibana Ann and Osakada Tomoka at a table, waving at him.

Momo's jaw dropped.

"So how come you're here, Momo-senpai?" Tomoka suddenly gave an evil grin. "Are you also on a date?"

"No!" Momo turned red. "I saw Echizen with a girl, so I decided to come and see what's going on."

"Shhh." Ann put her finger to her mouth. "Don't be so loud, Momoshiro-kun. We don't want to be heard."

"And how come you're also here?" Momo asked.

"We knew Sakuno was going to have brunch with Echizen Ryoma," Ann explained.

"And so we wanted to come and make sure things go well with them." Tomoka added.

"Oh." Momo grinned, and looked for a menu. "And where's the staff?"

"Over there." Ann pointed.

"They have all succumbed to Ryoma-sama's charm!" Tomoka said.

Momo looked. There were a group of waiters and waitresses pushing each other at a table by the window. He couldn't even see Ryoma or Sakuno.

Momo couldn't help but shiver a little. He wanted to be well-liked, but to be as popular as Ryoma--it's more scary than pleasant.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakuno hid a laugh when the staff around them finally left. Seeing Ryoma's exasperated and annoyed face, she pitied him a little, and therefore refrained from teasing him.

"This seems a very nice place." Sakuno said, and touched a daisy petal, just to make sure it--and this date--was real.

"Un. It's my mother's favourite restaurant."

"Your mother?" Sakuno knew that Ryoma's father was a renowned, world-class tennis player, but she knew nothing of his mother. "She resides in Japan?"

"No." Ryoma took a sip of water. "She lives in New York with my father, but she comes back for a visit every year."

"New York?" That piqued Sakuno's interest. "New York as in New York City, not the state?"

Ryoma nodded.

"I'd love to go to New York one day." Sakuno propped her chin on her hands, her eyes shining.

"Why?"

"From what I've heard, there are numerous concerts, plays, art shows in the city. And my number one dream school--Julliard--happens to be in New York. A world-class institute in the world's most famous city--how can I not dream about it?"

Ryoma crossed his arms. "Well yeah, but you forget that New York is also dirty and polluted, the subway is world-class confusing, and the weather is extreme. And it's crowded, expensive, and unsafe." Which was why he preferred to stay in a reclusive villa in Long Island.

"I don't care." Sakuno said. "If I can go to Julliard, the rest won't matter."

"Why do you want to go there?"

"Because I want to further my studies in the piano."

"Piano?" Ryoma leaned back in his chair. "You play the piano, Ryuzaki?"

Sakuno nodded. "Since I was four."

"Here's your orders." the waitress arrived. She set two trays on the table, and smiled at Ryoma. "Please enjoy your meal."

Both of them forgot about everything else, and gaped at Ryoma's tray. There was a mountain of bacon, a pile of sausages that resembled a mini-pyramid, a dozen fried eggs, a dozen pieces of toast, a bowl in which the fruit was in danger of falling out, and a gallon of coffee in a giant mug.

Ryoma raised his eyebrows as well. "You wanna share?"

"No, thanks." Even if she was hungry enough, she wouldn't dream of sharing lunch with Echizen Ryoma under the killing glares abound. She picked up a napkin, and noticed a name and a phone number written in the corner.

"Um, Ryoma-kun? I think this is for you."

Ryoma glanced briefly over the napkin, crumpled it, and threw it aside.

"Wait!" Sakuno protested. "Did you even _read_ it?"

"No. Should I?"

"Well, at least someone took the trouble to write it. Someone wanted to meet you. Shouldn't you at least respect her courage?"

"If I do," Ryoma spread out the pile of napkins on the table. All were marked with names and numbers. ", I wouldn't have time at all."

Sakuno gaped for a second time. And was that--a man's name on the last napkin?

Seeing her expression, the corner of Ryoma's mouth turned up slightly--almost a smirk.

"Aren't you going to eat?" he said. "Buttered toast gets cold quickly, you know."

"I know." Sakuno threw him a don't-be-so-bossy look, and picked up her knife and fork.

The garlic-and-mushroom flavoured butter melted in her mouth. The toast itself was perfect too, a little crisp on the sides, but basically soft and warm enough.

"Oh!" Sakuno chewed slowly, her fingertips touching her lips, as though she couldn't believe that such delectable toast existed.

"Like it?" Ryoma was amused at her reaction.

"Oh my," Sakuno reached for a second piece. "I didn't believe that heaven existed until now."

Ryoma was going to say that it was just a piece of toast, and there was no point getting so crazy about it, but he stopped himself in time. It was much better to sit back and observe her, consuming buttered toast as though it were nectar and ambrosia.

He knew this restaurant made good brunch, but he hadn't cared that much before. Generally, for him, quantity mattered more than quality.

For some time, they ate quietly. Ryoma sighed as he ate. He _was_ hungry, but honestly--was this an eating contest or what? Would he get an entry in the Guinness Records?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, the three eavesdroppers were satisfied, after seen that Ryoma and Sakuno seemed to be enjoying themselves. Momo even began humming a tune: "Sha-la-la-la-la-la..."

"What's that song?" Ann said.

Momo pretended to be shocked. "Haven't you seen Disney's The Little Mermaid? This is a famous song from that film, called Kiss the Girl."

"Ooh!" Tomoka, who had seen the film, immediately realized his meaning. "Yeah, it does fit the moment, doesn't it?"

Momo grinned, and continued to sing, "Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my, look at the boy too shy, he ain't gonna kiss the girl...sha-la-la-la-la-la..."

Ann shook her head and sighed. She told herself she only tolerated Momo's off-key singing because she was also rooting for Sakuno and Ryoma.

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The several waitresses (plus one waiter) squabbled behind the counter about who should have the privilege of serving Ryoma's table. Eventually, they resorted to "paper, scissors, rock" to decide the winner.

"More water?" A waitress swept by, with the shining smile of victory. She had beat six others for this chance.

"No." Ryoma said abruptly.

"Yes, please." Sakuno, who had ordered an espresso, was feeling thirsty.

"I wasn't asking you," the waitress muttered, but filled Sakuno's cup anyway. Then she turned to Ryoma, smiling so widely that all her teeth showed. "You know, if you need anything--"

"No."

The waitress's smile froze. But in a second, she defrosted, apologized, and departed.

Sakuno frowned. Not that she rooted for the waitress, but honestly, Ryoma could have been nicer. She could understand how the waitress felt, especially since she, in her junior high school days, had a hopeless crush on him.

No! Stop living in the past, Sakuno!

Watching her face turn from pink to red, her eyes tightly closed, Ryoma wondered what was up with her.

His cell phone started ringing. An irritated look spread over his face when he saw who it was.

"Yes, Matt?"

"Ryoma." Matt, his agent, boomed through the phone. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Having brunch."

"We need to go over your schedule again." Matt's voice was impatient. "Two of your classes clash with your spring tournaments. And there are seventeen companies asking you to promote for them, eight papers and magazines wanting to do an interview, and--"

"Fine. I'll meet you when I'm finished."

"And just when is that?"

"I don't know. Look, I'll give you a call when I'm done."

"Is your brunch so important? Your schedule is a mess!"

"It can stay a mess for a bit longer." Ryoma said coolly. "I'll call you later. Bye."

Since Matt was American, the whole conversation was in English. Sakuno didn't understand much of it, but from Ryoma's expression, she could see that he was annoyed.

"Everything okay?" she inquired.

"Nothing much. Just my agent."

"Your agent?" Sakuno was interested. "Wow, what's it like having an agent?"

Ryoma answered, she asked another question, and this time, the conversation went on for a long time. The topic--the ups and downs of the pro-tennis world--was one that Ryoma was all too familiar with, and here was a chance to pour out his feelings with someone who genuinely cared.

Ryoma was surprised at himself. It seemed to be the first time he talked so much with a female. Most girls he talked with either were too nervous or too eager. Sakuno, instead, treated him like a normal person. She laughed and frowned at the right moments, gave appropriate comments, and all in all, made him as comfortable as though he were at home napping with Karupin junior.

Sakuno, on the other hand, found herself intrigued. Since Ryoma seemed to have banished his icy manner and arrogant attitude, she found it much simpler to talk freely. She became fascinated by his professional life--besides playing good tennis, there were interviews, conferences, tours, commercials, etc. It also struck her that if she wanted to succeed in a music career, she may have similar difficulties to deal with.

Soon, both Ryoma and Sakuno realized that they had stuff to do and couldn't stay longer.

"Thanks for the brunch, Ryoma-kun. It was lovely." Sakuno stood up. She hadn't expected that time would fly so fast, or that Ryoma hadn't said anything insulting to her.

"No problem." he answered. "My pleasure as well."

And he meant it.

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"Momoshiro-kun!"

"Momo-senpai! Wake up!"

Momo opened an eye. To tell the truth, he got bored after watching Ryoma and Sakuno for a while. And after a mind-draining test, a full meal, and soothing music, he decided to have a little nap. Which resulted in a deep slumber.

"Eh?" Momo suddenly sat up. "Where are they?"

"Gone!" Tomoka said. "You missed them!"

"Didn't know you could sleep so long." Ann smirked, and slapped the tab on his arm. "Here you go."

Momo stared. "What're you doing?"

"We had a bet, remember? Before you went to sleep, you said you'd wake up in five minutes. And look--" Ann shoved her watch under his nose. "--you've been asleep for at least half an hour."

Momo crumpled. Turned out that it wasn't his day after all.

Thanks to Echizen.

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A/N: Tae is from Rurouni Kenshin, as you'd probably recognize. Cesario's, and Tokyo Times, are purely fictional creations.

Phew, another chapter done! I've been working on this chapter for some time, somehow I just couldn't get the RyoSaku date right, and my evil side insists on making Fuji a huge flirt. Mwuahahaha.

phoe2k: Done.

Miry: I'll see how it goes. Fuji is such a mysterious character, you'd never know whether he's telling the truth.

rainingblood666: What is WEPY?

Angel Teuk: Yes, Yuzuyu is from Aishteruze Baby. She's so adorable, I couldn't help borrowing her.

danxi123: Thanks--I overlooked that part. I've replaced "birch bark" with "hazelnuts," hope that'll do.

luvcloud307, Asian Chick 77, abc, Matoki, zai, KenRik, sesshomaruobsessed: Thank you so much for reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Everyone, this is Ryuzaki Sakuno. She will be playing the part of the piano with us in the music festival, on the recommendation of Professor Ishiguro."

Sakuno, feeling a little nervous under the scrutiny of the school orchestra, stepped forward and bowed.

"Konnichiwa, I am Ryuzaki Sakuno. Please go easy with me."

The orchestra--which was composed of about fifty people--applauded.

"Good, now that's settled, we shall begin." Professor Goda gestured to Sakuno, and she took her place at the piano.

They would perform three songs--Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2, and Disney's Under the Sea. Sakuno was surprised at the last song. Professor Goda explained that Under the Sea was a special for the festival, because an orphanage had been invited.

Sakuno thought of Yuzuyu. She must ask the little girl to come.

Professor Goda started passing out the music sheets. Sakuno's eyes roved over the orchestra. The conductor, Chiaki, was a handsome senior who was quite popular with girls. In fact, Nodame had a huge crush on him.

Their university seemed to have good _feng shui_, man-wise. Fuji was well known in medical school, Chiaki was semi-famous, and now Ryoma.

When Sakuno received her music scores, she browsed through the pages quickly. Under the Sea was a piece of cake, but the others seemed very difficult.

Looked like her schedule was going to be even busier than before.

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"--and did you see Chiaki-senpai's face when he saw Nodame's 'obento of love'?" Nodame said excitedly.

"Yes, yes, I know." Sakuno was getting exasperated. "For the fifth time, your Chiaki-senpai was like, full of surprise when he saw it!"

In fact, Sakuno privately thought that Nodame's bento was more like an unpleasant shock to Chiaki. For Nodame had burned the fish, scorched the rice, and the vegetables looked yellowish and wilted. Sakuno had given her friend a few cooking lessons, but it seemed that Nodame couldn't excel at anything but the piano.

"So right." Nodame clasped her hands and looked up to the sky. Sakuno could picture little pink hearts floating from her eyes. "Senpai is so hot! Nodame cannot wait until the music festival!"

Sakuno decided not to point out that the festival was still a long time away, and they hadn't even started practicing.

"It's nearly time for our next class." Sakuno took Nodame's arm. "Come on, let's go."

When they approached the classroom, Sakuno noticed this huge group of girls at the door and windows.

"Eh?" Nodame tilted her head. "Why so many people? Chiaki-senpai does not have class here."

"I don't know." Sakuno had this strange sense of foreboding. If these are fangirls, then it's highly possible that--

Sakuno and Nodame pushed their way through the girls into the classroom. And Sakuno's foreboding was confirmed.

"Ryoma-kun..."

He was sitting in the most distant corner. The professor had arrived early, and was sipping a cup of tea complacently. Perhaps this was what kept the fan girls outside, Sakuno thought.

"Aha!" Nodame said loudly. "So that's Echizen Ryoma!"

Everyone looked at her, including Ryoma.

Sakuno gave him a brief wave and a tentative smile. A look of relief spread over his face.

This class was about Japanese literature. All students, regardless of their major, were required to take two semesters on this subject. Ryoma scrunched his forehead a couple of times. Even though he was uncommonly clever, he had lived in America for most of his life, and Japanese literature to him was now an unfamiliar territory.

When the class was over, Ryoma made his way to Sakuno.

"Hey." he nodded towards her.

"You weren't in this class last week." Sakuno said, while calmly ignoring death glares around.

"Had to change classes, because my agent discovered that they clash with the spring tournaments."

"Oh." Sakuno felt a tug on her arm. "Oh! Sorry I forgot--Ryoma-kun, this is Nodame, my friend. Nodame, Echizen Ryoma."

"Nice to meet you!" Nodame cried. She grabbed Ryoma's hand and looked at it closely. "So there are only five, after all."

"Huh?" Ryoma was confused.

"No--nothing." Sakuno quickly said, and tugged on Nodame's arm. "Uh, Nodame, don't you have class with Ishiguro-sensei?"

"Ah!" Nodame let go of Ryoma's hand as though it was a hot potato. "You're right, Sakuno!"

And she ran off, apparently being pursued by an invisible bear, though she didn't forget to look back and call out, "Bye bye, Echizen Ryoma! See you next class!"

Ryoma looked at Sakuno and raised an eyebrow.

"Nodame is always like that." Sakuno smiled. "She might be a little abnormal, but she's really a very nice girl. Oh, by the way, since you've missed this class for three weeks--" she reached in her bag and brought out a folder.

"Here." Sakuno handed Ryoma a couple of stapled papers. "There's the syllabus and some material from the first three classes. You might want to photocopy them; they will probably be in the finals."

"Thanks." Ryoma smiled. It was a pleasant surprise--Sakuno couldn't remember the last time she saw him smile.

"No problem," she said. "Since you've been America so long, I thought you'd need this--"

Sakuno didn't finish, because another girl jumped in front of her, holding out a large notebook. "Ryoma-sama! You can copy my notes!"

Which seemed to be a cue for others, because pretty soon most girls in the classroom were crowding round Ryoma, offering help from exam preparation to a foot massage.

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The days flew by. When you have loads of things to do, time passes pretty quick. Sakuno, who had to balance school, two part-time jobs, and orchestra practice, felt that she would never have made it without Tomoka and Ann.

Knowing that Sakuno's workload was so heavy, Tomoka and Ann did most of the grocery shopping and cleaning, despite Sakuno's protests. They also insisted on helping Sakuno make bentos, as she rarely was home for lunch, and even dinner.

"How can you stand the food in the cafeteria?" Tomoka said, beating up eggs in a large bowl. "And home-cooking is healthier and cheaper."

"Besides," Ann cast a sly glance at Sakuno. "Fuji will miss his bentos if you don't make them."

"Speaking of Fuji-senpai." Tomoka pointed the egg beater at Sakuno. "Are you sure there's absolutely NOTHING between you and Fuji-senpai?"

Sakuno coloured. "No."

"Don't you feel attracted to him?" Tomoka clasped her hands. "I mean, Fuji-senpai is handsome, kind, gentlemanly, and he's a medical student!"

"I agree with everything but the medical part." Ann said. "I mean, I know that our society values doctors highly, but can you imagine being married to a doctor? He'd be like, super busy, and who knows what can happen when your husband spends most time outside?"

"Oh, Fuji-senpai wouldn't do that kind of thing." Tomoka waved aside Ann's gloomy predicament. "Have you seen him when he's wearing a white lab coat? He's already so good-looking, and combined with this intelligent and professional aura--I'd say gorgeous is an understatement!"

Ann shrugged. "Anyway, how about Echizen Ryoma? Have you seen much of him?"

"Not much. He's very busy."

"Yeah!" Tomoka began grating carrots with much vigour. "Once I wanted to see him, but when I arrived to the classroom he was supposed to be at, they told me he was in Italy! He took a week off for this spring tournament."

"Told you so." Ann poured the beaten eggs into the heated frying pan. "He must have a pretty tight schedule, if he can compete and take classes."

"Oh, he'll manage," Tomoka dismissed the idea with a perfunctory wave. "Remember when we were in Seigaku? Ryoma-sama used to snooze in class, so once the teacher made him come to the blackboard, and guess what? He got ALL the answers right! It's like he doesn't have to study!"

"That was in English." Sakuno said, smiling at the recollection. "For my Japanese literature class, I see him taking notes."

"It must be fate!" Tomoka said. "I mean, how come _I_ don't have Japanese with Ryoma-sama?"

Sakuno shrugged. "Coincidence. Besides, he only transferred to my class because of his schedule."

"Anyway, it's a pity you both are like, super-busy." Tomoka sighed. "You never went out after that date in Cesario's?"

"No." Even when they met in class, their interactions were either a wave, a nod, or a brief conversation.

"Then I guess it's back to Fuji." Ann said. "Even though he is a medical student, at least it's more down-to-earth than a tennis star."

"Not just a tennis star." Tomoka put in. "Ryoma-sama has been named four times in Teen People's "Twenty-Five Hottest Stars Under 25" and twice in People's 50 Most Beautiful People!"

Suddenly the smell of burning reached their noses.

"Oh no!" In a flash, Sakuno was at the oven, and turned it off.

"Is the cake all right?" Tomoka asked.

Sakuno checked. "A little burnt on the top, but edible, I guess."

"Well, that has taught us a lesson." Ann said, grinning. "Never talk about hot guys when cooking."

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Ryoma was having a mini-crisis. He had a class in the morning, and another in the afternoon. After the morning class, he was debating the option whether to go home and come back later, or simply head to the library, when he heard someone shriek, "RYOMA! RYOMA, MY LOVE!"

The worst had happened. Disaster had struck in the form of Kagura, one of his biggest, and most persistent fans. Most girls were content to leave him alone after getting an autograph or picture, but Kagura pursued him like a lion after a deer. She hid in corners, bushes, and--god forbid--the men's bathroom, only to spring out to and demand him for a date.

The fact that he wasn't interested in her did not deter her one iota. She'd argue, since he was single, why couldn't he give it a try and go out on one date with her? It wasn't like she bites--though Ryoma had his doubts.

Well, the thing was, when he heard Kagura scream his name, Ryoma immediately knew that he had to get away from her. Why didn't the invisibility cloak in Harry Potter exist in real life? He needed one. Desperately.

"RYOMA! DARLING! WAIT FOR ME!"

Like he'd want to risk his sanity. Ryoma bolted down the corridor as fast as he could, turned round a corner, and to his dismay, he found that in front of him was a hallway with a dead end.

But Kagura's screams were still ringing at his ears. Muttering swear words, Ryoma tried to wrench open the door of a classroom. Usually they were locked, but as though gods took pity on him, the door miraculously opened.

Ryoma quickly darted inside, shut the door, and locked it. He sank down against the wall, and listened to her footsteps gradually die away.

Safe.

It was really pathetic, him running away from a woman, but honestly, the girl was a nightmare. He'd take a five-hour rally with a world-champion anytime.

Maybe he'd better change schools. He wondered why Matt had suggested Tokyo City University at the first place.

Ryoma yawned. He decided to stay in the classroom a little longer--Kagura may still be stalking out there somewhere, waiting to pounce.

Since the past few days had been kind of hectic, having taken an exam and attended a few interviews, it wasn't long before Ryoma dozed off.

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He dreamed that he was in a fancy restaurant in New York, where a classicist pianist was playing the loveliest tune imaginable. The music was so beautiful, so soothing to the ear, that he felt he could listen on forever.

Gradually, as the sound became clearer and clearer, he opened his eyes. He was still sitting against the wall, one knee drawn up near his chin, and one hand draped loosely over his stomach.

In the front of the classroom, he beheld Ryuzaki Sakuno sitting before a piano, playing away like she was in a classy restaurant, not a dusty old classroom. The curtains had been pulled aside, and sunshine was streaming in the window, and turned part of her hair into sparkling gold.

"Because I want to further my studies in the piano...since I was four..." her words echoed in his mind.

He should get up, he should let her know he was intruding, but he couldn't. Or wouldn't. And eventually, he didn't.

Might as well let her finish the song.

Ryoma closed his eyes again, allowing the music take over him. It was clear and bright, smooth and rippling, reminding him of that time he was in Canada, visiting a relative. It was spring, and he could see buds of tender green on the branch outside the window. A robin perched on the tree, and sang sweetly. A small brook ran by the tree, gurgling and bubbling.

The tune changed. This time each note was distinctive and separate, like big drops of rain. Ryoma felt as though he were taken back to his childhood, when he was five, and his parents took him to Niagara Falls. The music rose and fell, like the giant waterfall.

Then the music changed again, the tone becoming high and shrill, and he could picture himself in the Scottish highlands, where he once visited after competing in Wimbledon. He remembered lying on the grass of Arthur's Seat, and seeing nothing but the sky, mountain, lake. And faraway, the sound of bagpipes reached his ears.

And finally, the music changed for a final time. He was in France, sitting on a privately hired boat on the Seine, the wind cooling his face, and in the distance, he could see the red glow of the setting sun. The main tune was long and drawn-out, with the accompaniment of tinkling keys.

It was some time after the last note faded away, that he returned to the real world.

Footsteps approached. He opened his eyes, and found Sakuno bending over him, a little too close for his comfort. Her face was tinted pink, her eyes large and starry, and a slight smile hovered on her lips, like she possessed a delightful secret. Her nut-brown hair spilled over her shoulders, and he had a sudden urge to touch it, and see if it was as soft as he thought.

"Sorry." Sakuno drew back immediately. "I didn't know you were awake."

For some reason he got irritated. "No one can sleep when you're banging away on the piano like that."

A slight frown passed her face. "If you don't like it, you could have left. No one's keeping you."

Again. Why couldn't he be nicer to her?

"I'm sorry. In fact, you played well. Really."

Sakuno was still regarding him with a skeptical expression.

"That's what kept me awake." Ryoma took a deep breath. "I really liked hearing you play, so I stayed."

"Oh." Her face softened. "But--how did you come in? Normally, students aren't allowed in without booking the room."

"I don't know." Ryoma chose not to tell her about Kagura. "The door wasn't locked. I was tired."

"I meant to wake you when I came in, but you looked so peaceful." Sakuno looked at her watch. "You haven't missed class because you fell asleep?"

Ryoma also checked the time; it was nearly twelve. "No."

A growl escaped his stomach at this moment. To Ryoma, it seemed much louder than usual. Perhaps it's because the room was so quiet. Or perhaps--it's because Sakuno was there.

Sakuno couldn't repress a smile. "Would you like to eat? There's a cafeteria downstairs--"

"I'd rather not."

"Why? I thought you were hungry."

"Well--" Ryoma hesitated. "--I don't eat in the cafeteria."

"Oh." Sakuno tilted her head, and stared at hime for a second. "You don't want to queue for lunch?"

"Something like that." The truth was, he didn't want to eat in the presence of hungry fan girls, who all looked like they wanted him for lunch.

Another growl from his stomach, and Ryoma felt the heat in his face. He got up, intending to leave.

To his surprise, Sakuno produced a lump from her bag, bound in a piece of cloth. She undid the knot on the top, and hey presto! revealed two large lunchboxes.

"Since you prefer to avoid the crowd, would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Er--"

Sakuno lifted the lid, and the most beautiful sight in the world greeted his eyes.

Onigiri, shaped into the size of a cat's head, were neatly packed in a row. Next to the onigiri was a pile of cute octapus sausages, and a container of broccoli, carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Partitioned off from the main dish was another section, which contained a few slices of strawberry shortbread, a tiny glass of tea jelly, and a small apple.

"Luckily I made onigiri, so you don't need chopsticks." Sakuno reached for a rice ball and handed it to him. "Here."

Ryoma took it. Somehow, he was powerless with an empty stomach (and when she was looking at him like that).

The flavour of smoked salmon, cucumbers, fried eggs, and vinegar rice filled his senses with delight. Ryoma was no gourmet, but right now, he fully understood why food tasted even better on an empty stomach. Besides, the onigiri was so pretty--with cut seaweed for the cat's eyes, nose, and whiskers--a feast for the eyes as well as taste.

Maybe he wouldn't change schools after all.

Ryoma was on the fourth onigiri before he realised something.

"What's with the other one?" he pointed to the second lunchbox. "You have such a big appetite?"

"Ryoma-kun. My appetite is average, thank you. That one is for Fuji-senpai."

Ryoma almost choked, so surprised he was. "You're dating Fuji-senpai?"

"No!" Sakuno couldn't help it; she blushed. "It's because he has been so kind to me: he found me this job, teaching his niece the piano, and he drives me there so I don't have to walk. And he's busy with medical studies, so I sometimes make his bento. Fuji-senpai doesn't like cafeteria food too much, he says it's too bland."

"I see." Ryoma swallowed a chunk of rice, and wondered why it didn't taste as good as before.

"Speaking of Fuji-senpai, I should go meet him now." Sakuno put Fuji's lunchbox in her bag. Then she emptied what remained in her own lunchbox onto a handkerchief, and gave it to Ryoma.

"Hang on." Ryoma said. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I'll grab a sandwich." Sakuno stood up, and walked towards the door. "Please lock the door when you are done. I suppose the person earlier forgot to do it."

"Ryuzaki."

"Hn?"

Ryoma didn't know why he suddenly said her name. It's just--she was leaving so abruptly--.

"Er--thanks. You've been a great help."

Sakuno shook her head. "Iie. It's not much, so don't worry about it. Besides, what are friends for?"

She gave him a bright smile, and then she was gone.

Ryoma looked after her, and realized that this was the second time she left him to do something else.

Last time it was class. This time it was for Fuji.

He wasn't used to being treated like this, being second in her priorities. If it hadn't been for Fuji, she could have stayed here. Well, normally he preferred solitude, considering his wild popularity, but now Sakuno had left, the room seemed so large and empty. He looked towards the piano, and could almost imagine her still sitting there, her fingers skilled and graceful. And when she bent down to check if he was awake--the close proximity of her pretty face--

_No_.

Sakuno had been gone for some time, and here he was, still sitting on the floor, and still thinking of her.

How ridiculous.

Ryoma quickly resumed eating. Yet, somehow, the onigiri seemed to have lost its flavour.

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Soon, Yuzuyu's talent show arrived.

At first, Sakuno was debating whether to go, but so many people urged her that she had to give in. The show mattered a lot to Yuzuyu, and Fuji offered to drive her home directly after it, instead of staying on for the celebration dinner Yumiko planned. So she shouldn't be too tired.

After work, Fuji picked her up as usual from the restaurant. Tae and Ann giggled silently behind their plates (yes, even Ann).

Sakuno sighed. No matter how many times she said, they wouldn't get off the idea of Fuji as a potential boyfriend. Honestly, if she felt that way for him and vice versa, they would have become a couple long ago. Couldn't they see that the interaction between them was purely platonic?

Though recently, his smile has become a tad bit distracting. If she saw his smile and recalled the teasing remarks from Tae/Ann/Tomoka/Yumiko (and recently, even Yuzuyu), she'd blush and look away, unable to hold his gaze.

"A penny for your thoughts." Fuji said, smiling.

"Oh!" Sakuno coloured. Of course she couldn't tell him her real thoughts, so she quickly searched for an alternative. "Uh--I was thinking--about Yuzuyu."

Ha! That was totally appropriate and fitting, as they'd be going to the kindergarten, right after picking up Yuzuyu's bouquet.

"Yuzuyu-chan?" Fuji stopped before a red light. "Are you worried about her?"

"Well--a little. Yuzuyu plays splendidly, but I'm afraid she might get nervous on stage. It's her first public performance!"

"I wouldn't worry." Fuji said. "Yuzuyu has practiced hard. And she has a talented teacher."

"Ii--ie." Sakuno bowed her head. Fuji's compliments often made her uncomfortable. She didn't think she deserved such praise.

"Ah." Fuji pulled up at the flower shop. "We're here."

"Un." Sakuno quickly got out of the car.

The flower shop was a gorgeous display of roses, chrysanthemums, clovers, poppies, dandelions, orchids, pansies...etc.

"Wow..." Sakuno wandered among the colourful, scented masses. Seeing a pot of beautiful lavender sprays, she bent down and admired them.

Fuji couldn't help it. With a swiftness that behooved the tennis tensai, he whipped out his camera, crouched low, and snapped.

By now, Sakuno had grown so used to him taking photos of her that all she did was blink.

"Welcome!" the store owner came out. "Sorry I was rather busy--may I help you?"

Fuji handed over his receipt, and soon, the owner presented them a pretty bouquet of posies, snowdrops, and starflowers.

"Sakuno-chan," Fuji passed her the bouquet. ", can you hold these and pose for me?"

"Eh?"

"Please." And there it was again, that charismatic (or infuriating?) smile.

Sakuno complied, with a helpless blush.

Even the store owner noticed that it _was_ a lovely picture. Sakuno was no Hollywood star, but she did look very sweet, with her soft brown hair and cinnamon eyes. And the surrounding of flowers certainly served as a charming background.

"The bouquet matches your girlfriend very well." the store owner commented. "The pink in the posies go well with her brown hair."

"Iie!" Sakuno quickly said. "We're not--not--"

"You're right," Fuji said, as though he hadn't heard her. ", the colours do go well. I can't wait to develop the pictures. Thank you."

"Fuji-senpai--"

"Ah, gomen, Sakuno-chan. You were saying--?" He smiled at her, and Sakuno felt that uncomfortable heat rush to her cheeks.

"Nothing," she bowed her head, embarrassed. Anyway, why would she bother to point out the misunderstanding? Like the flower shop owner would care.

"Okay." He touched her arm. "We had better get going."

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A/N: Chiaki is another character from Nodame Cantabile, and Kagura is from Fruits Basket. I just can't help borrowing other characters...

I'm glad that people like the Fuji/Saku parts--it's actually easier to write than Ryo/Saku (shakes Ryoma: why are you such an obnoxious character?).

abc, zairoon, Matoki, Asian Chick 77, uranaishii, liltenshiarishi, sesshomaruobsessed, blhablha, nertz, sasusaku4life, DarkMagic10, butterfly123, singer in the wind, Torogi, SuChAbAKa, beep-bop-playa, blueducky511, boymeetsgirl82, ItStHeCaRiBbEaN, KenRik, yanzie: Thank you for the lovely reviews! I love writing this story, and though I'd have written it with or without posting on the Internet, it's nice to know that someone out there also enjoys it as much as I do.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Click.

"Okay, Yuuta." Fuji lowered his camera. "This time I want Sakuno-chan over there with Yuzuyu-chan."

Yuuta was glad to leave. He never enjoyed posing for Fuji.

"Come on, Sakuno nee-chan!" Yuzuyu cried, waving her hands. "Syusuke ji-san wants us on the camera!"

"Sure!" Sakuno hurried over.

Fuji squinted at the screen of his camera. Sakuno wore a filmy green dress with a white shawl covering her shoulders, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, leaving tendrils of chestnut curls hanging loosely by her face. When she smiled, her eyes became curved slightly, like a crescent moon. She looked fresh and pretty, reminding him of a slender white lily.

Below her, Yuzuyu held the bouquet with one hand, and the other hand was in a V-sign, as a typical gesture Japanese do when they are on camera. Her hair was done up in two pigtails, held by two red ribbons. Two dimples showed when she was smiling broadly.

Together, they formed the prettiest picture that Fuji had ever seen.

"Perfect." he murmured, as he aimed carefully, and pressed the button.

Click.

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"Ne, Sakuno-chan. Time to wake up."

His voice seemed so close that Sakuno jerked up abruptly. Where was she? In the car with Fuji, who had stopped right before her apartment building. Somehow, during the ride, she had fallen asleep.

"You okay?"

"Yes, of course," Sakuno automatically answered. "I'm so sorry, Fuji-senpai, for falling asleep. So silly of me."

"I don't mind. Sakuno looks very sweet when she sleeps."

Sakuno could feel warmness creeping on her cheeks. She knew Fuji liked to tease her, but recently, she felt that she couldn't take them with a grain of salt.

Maybe this was why she was a tad reluctant to come to Yuzuyu's show. Since that day Yumiko teased her by suggesting she marry Fuji, Sakuno always had this uncomfortable feeling nagging in the back of her mind whenever she was with him. Sure, she still made him bentos and let him drive her, but she no longer felt completely secure. When he teased her, she didn't just laugh and forget about it. Instead, her heart would start to pound, and she'd giggle uncontrollably, like an idiot.

Sakuno didn't like it.

Fuji turned his head, and his smile was the same as always. But this time she noticed his eyes--they were blue as sapphires, and glowing.

"Ne, Sakuno-chan."

Her heart began pounding--this time so loud that she felt sure he could hear it.

Fuji leaned in.

His face was barely inches from hers. She thought that she would burst into flames, her face was so hot.

He raised his hand to her face--

Sakuno closed her eyes tightly. She didn't know if she wanted Fuji to kiss her, but she did know that she had never been so nervous in her life.

Tomoka and Ann told her that she should never let a guy kiss her, unless she was perfectly sure she wanted it. Sakuno had never a problem with this before; she could be very cold and formal with a guy she didn't like. She couldn't, and never would flirt.

But this was Fuji-senpai...

There was a slight movement by her ear.

"You have a leaf in your hair." he whispered.

Sakuno's eyes widened.

The next second, he had pulled away, and calmly showed her the tiny piece of green on his palm.

As though nothing had happened.

"You've had a long day, so I won't keep you any longer." Fuji said. He wasn't smiling--a rare thing for him. "Good night, Sakuno-chan."

"Goo-good night." Sakuno stammered.

She opened the door of the car and sprang out. She hurried up to her apartment, not bothering to turn and wave at him, as she usually did.

Because she couldn't bring herself to look at his face.

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"Ryuzaki!"

"Ha--hai!"

"This is the third time you've struck the wrong note." Professor Goda's voice was stern. "Did you practice enough?"

"Gomen." Sakuno bowed low. "It won't happen next time."

"I hope you realize that this is a big event, not child's play. I'm beginning to think that Ishiguro was mistaken when he recommended you."

"Iie!" Sakuno cried. "It's all my fault; please don't blame Ishiguro-sensei! I promise to do better, I promise."

The lines on Professor Goda's face softened slightly.

"I'll take it on your word then. Let's take it from the top, people."

Sakuno sat upright on the piano seat, and forced herself to concentrate. She would NOT think of The-Night-That-Must-Not-Be-Named, a. k. a. "The Night that Fuji Kis--oops! Picked a Leaf from Sakuno's Hair."

The memory seared through her head every time she recalled it.

Should she confront him? Ask him whether he had unbrotherly feelings for her?

But he hadn't really done anything. Even though he was so close that his breath tickled her face, he hadn't kissed her. Just an innocent plucking-a-leaf-off-her-hair gesture. What was she supposed to say? Something like, did you mean anything when you picked a leaf from my hair?

Furthermore, Fuji appeared to have forgotten completely about that night. However, he seemed to be have lost the mood to tease her. As Sakuno also became tense around him, the relationship between them became strained and formal. On the surface, both of them couldn't have been more polite, but Sakuno knew that at least for her, there must be a lot unspoken under the skin.

She would have given anything to know what really went on in Fuji's head.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryoma was in a bad mood again. Nothing new, but today it simply irritated him to no extent.

Today, in the Japanese literature class, Sakuno was absent.

Although he wasn't fully aware of it, Sakuno's presence in the class had become invaluable. Unlike others, who all tended to stare at him, point and whisper, she simply acted normally around him. And he felt strangely secure, when he saw her sitting in the classroom, listening intently and taking notes diligently.

What happened to her? Did she catch cold, or was she in an accident?

And to make matters worse, the professor was teaching a new unit that was like, ten times more difficult than the others. Or so he thought.

If Sakuno were here, he could have asked her after class. But no, she just happened to choose this day of all days to be absent. And he didn't feel like asking the others. The boys either disliked or were afraid of him, and the girls, well...he'd just rather not.

When class was over, he thought of going to ask Nodame. But he didn't feel like talking to her; Nodame's abnormality got on his nerves.

Later at noon, Ryoma headed outside. He intended to have a nice filling meal at a restaurant off-campus, as he had no class in the afternoon. Thank god.

Suddenly, a red blur came barreling down the corridor, and before he knew it, bang! Someone ran smack into him.

"Ah, sorry!" a girl's voice. "Oh! Echizen Ryoma! Did I hurt you?"

Ryoma blinked. It was Nodame, wearing a kerchief over her hair, and a long apron over a bright red dress. She looked like a housewife with no taste at all.

"I--I'm fine, thanks." Then, the words burst from his lips, "have you seen Ryuzaki recently?"

Nodame went "oooh," while nodding her head. "So you like Sakuno, huh?"

Her attitude irritated him.

"No. I just want to know why she wasn't in class today."

"You want to see her? You missed her?"

Ryoma preferred not to answer. "Look, all I'm asking is a reason--"

Nodame grabbed his arm. "Come!"

And she pulled him along the corridor. Ryoma stumbled, and shook off her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to where she is. Come on!"

A lot of weird glances were thrown at them in the way, but the weirder thing was, Ryoma let himself be led by Nodame.

They arrived at the auditorium. A faint sound of a symphony floated from within the large, leather-padded doors.

"They're rehearsing for the annual music festival." Nodame said. "That's why Sakuno had to skip class today. The festival is next week!"

"Music festival?"

"Uh-huh. It's tradition!" Nodame said, and held up her bag. "Because they practice so hard, Nodame brings lunch for her husband and Sakuno!"

"Hu-husband? Are you--_married_?"

"Not yet, but soon." Nodame tilted her head. "My Chiaki-senpai..."

She seemed to drift off to another universe, so Ryoma decided to leave her for a moment, and went to the auditorium.

He opened the door a crack and peeped in.

An orchestra was gathered on stage, in midst of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The music was powerful, beautiful, moving.

Slowly, Ryoma slipped into the auditorium and found a seat. His eyes immediately sought Sakuno in the front, on the left side of the conductor.

She looked so focused, her fingers moving over the piano skillfully, her eyes drawn to the conductor now and then. This was another side of Sakuno he hadn't seen--dedicated, devoted, and determined.

Last time he witnessed her play, he was in a semi-conscious trance. This time he was fully awake--the symphony wasn't exactly easy to fall asleep to anyway.

She was something. She waited tables, she made excellent onigiri, she paid attention to her studies, she played the piano magnificently, and now she worked hard, being part of the school orchestra, taking part in the music festival.

Suddenly, he felt ashamed. Sakuno had so much to do, yet she still found time to help him with Japanese literature. She gave him the material he missed. And she also gave him her lunch, just because he was afraid to face the crowds.

He himself also had a full schedule, but he never thought of others. Here he was, getting irritated at Sakuno not being in class, yet he never thought that she wasn't obligated to be so kind to him. She wasn't his personal assistant. Even though she said, "what are friends for?" Ryoma doubted he'd do this much for a friend.

Quietly, Ryoma slipped out of the auditorium.

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"Hold still, Sakuno!" Tomoka admonished. "If you're not careful, you might get burned!"

"I know. Sorry." Sakuno tried not to budge as Tomoka curled her hair. Although Sakuno's hair was naturally curly, Tomoka wanted to do it over with a curling iron. That way she could style it properly.

"The music festival is a semi-formal event, you know?" she had said.

How could Sakuno forget? Professor Ishiguro had drilled it in her that there will be scouts there, and if she performed well, she might even land a part-time job at some high-class restaurant or five-star hotel. That would certainly be more impressive than being a waitress.

Also, this was the first big performance for her. She had played in piano contests, and performed occasionally for some recreational event, but the music festival was a pretty big event in Tokyo City University. For their music program was quite famous--the primary reason why Sakuno chose to enroll there--and the annual music festival always drew crowds of classic music lovers.

"There!" Tomoka unwound the last curl from the iron. She then took a long silver hairpin with a string of beads hanging from the end, and gathered Sakuno's long hair on her head, and secured it with the hairpin.

"Very stylish." Ann said approvingly. "Move over, Tomoka, it's now my turn." And Ann flourished an eyeliner and brush in both hands, as though she were holding a knife and fork, ready to pounce.

When everything was finished, Tomoka and Ann both shrieked with delight.

"You look positively ravishing, Sakuno!" Tomoka gushed. "I bet Fuji-senpai's gonna propose tonight!"

"Tomo-chan!"

"You'd better be careful not to mess up our work," Ann shook a finger at Sakuno. "Here's the lipstick I used--make sure you freshen up after dinner."

"I don't think I can eat anything." Sakuno said. She was already feeling uncomfortable from her dress and makeup.

"You have to!" Tomoka held up a homemade bento. "I've put in your favourite octapus sausages and cream cake. You need strength for your performance!"

"You guys." Sakuno's lip quivered. "Both of you have done so much for me--"

"Stop!" Ann quickly said. "You'll smudge your makeup!"

"Now don't worry Sakuno," Tomoka gave her a light hug. "Just go out there and do your best. If there's anything you feel like you owe me--" Tomoka grinned. "--a wedding invitation would be fine."

"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno pushed her away.

Ann grinned. "Anyway, you'd better leave now. Don't you have to be at the auditorium by five?"

"Yes."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were so many people when she pass the main entrance that Sakuno decided to take the side gates. A tinge of excitement shot through her veins--she was thrilled that there was going to be a big crowd, but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling doubly nervous. Although she had gained much confidence over the years, Sakuno had never fully overcome her shyness.

On her way to the auditorium, she passed a long wall where students could paste posters. There were several big posters of the school orchestra, featuring photos of Chiaki, Sakuno, the lead violinist, and a few others.

Sakuno's photo was the one Fuji took at the flower shop, of her holding Yuzuyu's bouquet and smiling shyly. Sakuno did not know how the poster-makers got ahold of that photo, but then, some of them were in the photography club.

A few distinguished-looking people stood before the posters. Sakuno quickly ducked from view, yet she couldn't help listening to what they were saying.

"So the school orchestra's pianist is a sophomore this year."

"Ryuzaki Sakuno. She looks very young. Can she really lead the orchestra?"

"We shall see. And look, the conductor is a _student_--"

Sakuno felt goosebumps on her skin. After hearing the conversation, the emotional stress weighed heavier on her shoulders.

She was relieved to see Nodame running towards her, carefree and cheerful.

"Sakuno! You look so beautiful!" Nodame said admirngly.

"Iie." Sakuno blushed. "And where's your Chiaki-senpai?"

Nodame's face fell. "Senpai won't let Nodame near him," she pouted. "He says he doesn't want to be in a traumatized condition on stage."

Sakuno had to repress a giggle.

Soon, all the participants in the music festival were summoned for a final, quick rehearsal. They didn't actually play the instruments--but ran through the entire routine. In fact, this final rehearsal was really for the assistants, who had to move the chairs, music racks, and portable platforms, as the event consisted of multiple performances, ranging from solo opera singers, piano duos, to the school orchestra.

After the rehearsal, the participants were allowed to have dinner. Sakuno ate with Nodame and a couple other girls, who all did not seem the least nervous.

"You know what? My grandma even flew from Hokkaido to see my performance!"

"Really? You're so lucky! Every time my grandma sees me, she asks me when I'm gonna be married!"

"Well, it's my final year here, so this performance is really important to me. It might be my last time on stage!"

"Oh come on, you never know what'll happen..."

Sakuno stood up. Her head ached a little from the perfume the girls were wearing, and she wanted to clear her mind, find some place to scream out loud to let out the pressure.

"Erm, sorry, but I want to go outside for a moment. To get some fresh air."

"Don't forget about the time!" Nodame said.

"Oh, don't worry about Sakuno." one girl said. "She's such a capable person. Unlike you, Nodame. You're late all the time."

"Yeah. Don't even think of running off to find Chiaki-senpai! You can pounce on him _after_ the show!"

Sakuno gave a little sigh as she headed outside. Everyone praised her, like "You have such a sweet face!" "Wow, Sakuno's cooking is to die for!" "When I hear you play the piano, I'm so moved that I can't help crying." "Sakuno is a very considerate and responsible person. She would never do a thing like that."

They seemed to forget that she had flaws. She had a vulnerable side. Yes, she was aware that she played the piano well, but did they know how sore her knuckles were after hours of practice? Did they know how her back ached from sitting at the piano too long? Did they know how exhausted she was, balancing school/work/orchestra practice? All they saw was the sparkling results. Sure, no one forced her to do so much, but she wished that others could see her as human, not superhuman.

And they had so high expectations of her. What if she messed up her performance? Would Professor Ishiguro lose faith in her? Would he end up regretting that he recommended her?

Some distance away, a few kids were playing hide-and-seek. Sakuno barely noticed them, until a kid came rushing over and pushed her roughly. Sakuno tripped on her high heels, and fell on the ground with a bump.

"Ittai!" she tried to stand up, but a sharp pain from her left foot made her crumple.

A closer look showed that she had twisted her ankle badly. It was all red and swollen.

_Just my luck_. If she was destined to twist her ankle, why couldn't have it happened some other time? She had to be on stage in less than an hour.

She looked around, but the kids seemed to have disappeared. And she had left her cell phone with Nodame. Feeling like a complete dolt, Sakuno crawled to a tree and clinging on the trunk, she tried to stand up again.

"Ryuzaki?"

Echizen Ryoma. The last person she expected.

"Ryo--Ryoma-kun? Why are you--when did you--"

"I called you, and your friend answered. She said you went out to get some fresh air. So how come you sprained your ankle?"

Right. Since she was clutching on a tree and her right foot dangling in the air, it was no wonder that he immediately discovered something wrong.

Sakuno explained.

"We need to treat that right now." Ryoma said, and the next second, he picked her up and made off to the nearest bench.

"Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno cried, crimson with embarrassment and shame.

He ignored her. Soon he set her down, took out a small jar and a roll of bandages, and kneeled down in front of her.

He took off her slipper, and frowned.

"With such a useless thing, no wonder you fell down."

"You--" Sakuno began indignantly, and stopped. He had cradled her foot in his hand, and was rubbing some salve from the jar on her swollen ankle. The salve was cool, mint-like, but his hands were warm. Her face burned.

"How come you have that stuff with you?" Sakuno indicated to the bandages and salve.

"It's a common thing for atheletes to be injured. So I carry this around, just in case."

From the deft way he bandaged her foot, Sakuno knew he was telling the truth.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

Ryoma looked up, genuinely surprised. "Whatever for?"

"For--for troubling you, it was so stupid of me. I mean, the concert is less than an hour away and I got my ankle twisted--I'm so afraid I'll let the orchestra down."

Even though she had only sprained her foot, it was her right foot, the one she had to use to press the pedals. She would have to rely on her left foot now, and adjust her position. Sakuno wasn't sure if she could pull it off.

"And Professor Ishiguro would likely be blamed too, because he recommended me, a sophomore, to join the orchestra. And Tomo-chan and Ann, they've done so much for me--"

She was crying. She didn't want to, she hated herself for being so weak, but she couldn't stop. Once she thought of the huge challenge ahead, the built-up pressure she had been suffering for weeks now took over her, like a huge flow breaking through a dam.

"I--I'm sorry--I'll try to--stop crying--"

Ryoma opened his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Sakuno stilled.

Had the world come to an end?

Ryoma didn't know what was wrong with him. His body reacted faster than his mental process. Or was he giving way to something he secretly longed to do, but had no chance to do so? She had stopped sniffling though, so at least it worked. That was his excuse.

Once she got over the initial shock, Sakuno calmed down. He smelled good--of woodsmoke and soap and something distinctly masculine she couldn't describe. His arms formed a strong barrier, and in this protective circle, she felt secure and comforted.

Ryoma pulled away. Sakuno was strangely disappointed at the loss of warmth, and she could have hit herself for feeling that way.

His hands were resting on her shoulders though--solid and warm. And he was looking deep in her eyes--a firm, steadfast gaze. A blush stained Sakuno's cheeks.

"Now repeat after me. I can do this."

"I can do this." Sakuno recited numbly.

"Everything's gonna be fine." Ryoma continued.

"Everything's gonna be fine."

"The audience is a bunch of airheads."

"The audience is a bunch of--what?" Sakuno stopped and stared at him. "Are you serious?"

Ryoma shrugged. "It's what my former agent says when I have to do a live interview."

Not that he needed it. But Sakuno found it amusing.

"Thanks, I'll bear that in mind." She laughed, and wiped her face with a handkerchief.

"Don't be. By the way--" Ryoma reached in his bag, and produced a stainless-steel bento box.

Sakuno couldn't believe her eyes. Two pieces of buttered toast, a croissant, and a coffee in a plastic cup.

"Cesario's?"

"Yeah. I thought you might like some."

He tried to sound nonchalant, but in fact, he had to search for a vacuum-insulated bento box to keep the food warm. The sales clerk had stared at him, because usually, only housewives purchased that. And he had to fend off the fawning waitresses. It was all because of Nodame, he had thought irritably. If he hadn't bumped into her, saw Sakuno, and felt ashamed, he wouldn't have gone through all the trouble.

"Doumo arigatou." Sakuno said softly.

The toast wasn't as good as last time, when it was piping-hot from the oven, but still, delectable enough to satisfy her senses. And the fact that Ryoma had actually went and bought this for her--

Miracles do happen.

In that case, Sakuno decided, it was now up to her to create her own miracle.

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"When is Sakuno nee-chan coming out?" Yuzuyu whined at the interval.

Fuji, who was sitting right next to his niece, showed the little girl the repertoire.

"See? Sakuno nee-chan is scheduled for the last performance. And right now we're only halfway through."

"Last one?" Yuzuyu said. "Why?"

"Because usually the last is the best." Fuji smiled. "So just be patient, Yuzuyu-chan. How about we go get some ice cream?"

At the sound of ice cream, Yuzuyu immediately brightened.

As Fuji went away with Yuzuyu, the little girl holding on his hand, Tomoka and Ann watched with approving eyes.

"That was totally sweet of him." Ann said.

"Sakuno is so lucky," Tomoka sighed.

"But--" Ann said thoughtfully. "--do you think there's really more than friendship between them? Recently, I haven't heard Sakuno mention Fuji's name."

"Hmm...now when you put it that way..."

Ann and Tomoka discussed for a while, until Tomoka put her hands on her head.

"Enough! We'll just wait and see!"

Soon, the interval was up.

Yuzuyu kept quiet, as Fuji made her promise not to make any sound again, or "Sakuno nee-chan" would be troubled.

The curtains parted, revealing the school orchestra. All performers were in formal black dress attire.

"Wahhh!" Yuzuyu exclaimed. And then, "Eh? What happened to Sakuno nee-chan?"

"Look at Sakuno's feet!" Tomoka whispered to Ann.

As Sakuno's right side was facing the audience, most of them noticed that the pianist's right foot was bandaged. A murmur ran through the crowd.

"Oh god." Ann said in a low voice. "How did Sakuno become like that?"

"Look at the pianist," someone behind them whispered. "Her foot looks as thick as an elephant's."

Tomoka clasped her hands and prayed.

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rin: Sorry, I've no idea. It's been a year since I finished the anime; in fact, I hardly remember other tennis players apart from Seigaku's! Maybe you can post on a Prince of Tennis forum?

beep-bop-playa: Actually, I don't think Nodame is like Kimi at all. Kind of hard to describe...

Michiko Yokisama & erlay-chan: I'm not sure yet. This story focuses on RyoSakuFuji, so even if the other regulars were to appear, there won't be much about them.

grdiang3l: Don't worry, I definitely will finish this story. I already know what the ending will be like.

the idiot who was too annoying: Me too! Pity I can't draw.

SuChAbAKa, zairoon, KenRik, abc, ItStHeCaRiBbEaN, DarkMagic10, Matoki, blueducky511, Torogi, unknown, Miri, W double-you, sasusaku4life, katsuhito sage, nertz, animecutie143, mooshu, sesshomaruobsessed, sakura asakura, Himeru-chan

, lazybluishgurl013, aSyLLe-cLaiRe: A big thank you!

A/N: Hope the Ryo/Saku and Fuji/Saku scenes are all right--I've rewritten them over and over again until they feel like expired food to me.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

To say the concert went well would be an understatement. If the violins could be described as the heart of the song, then the piano would be the soul.

And a beautiful soul it was.

In her head, Sakuno recited what Ryoma said to her earlier.

I can do this.

Everything will be fine.

The audience is a bunch of airheads.

She couldn't help a silent giggle at the last line. Especially when she recalled Ryoma's dead-serious face when he said that line.

Sakuno placed her fingers lightly over the keys and waited for the conductor's signal.

Chiaki's hand went down.

Sakuno began playing.

When the first note hit the air, it sounded tentative. Lukewarm. But she kept playing, Ryoma's advice deeply imprinted in mind, and soon she became her normal self. The girl who had a talent for the piano, who won several awards and competitions, who charmed numerous friends and relatives, including exceptional men.

Sakuno barely felt the throbbing pain from her right foot; Ryoma must have done a good job. Her left foot took over the pedals effortlessly. Like Ryoma, who could play with both hands, she could play with both feet.

"Oh, thank god." Ann murmured.

"It hasn't influenced her playing at all!" Tomoka breathed a sigh of relief.

Behind them, the person who called Sakuno's foot an elephant's was whispering, "Is she really hurt at all?"

Her fingers were flying.

Even with the abundance of violinists, Sakuno's piano echoed over the tune, whether she may be playing a strong, heart-breaking melody or soft clinking notes. She immersed herself in the music, and forgot that she had to impress music scouts, forgot that she must live up to Ishiguro's expectations, forgot that her friends were there, watching her.

She loved the piano. More than anything, she loved how she could make music from it.

When the orchestra played the last song, Under the Sea, the children in the audience were delighted at the cheerful, popular song. And when Sakuno let her fingers slide from the right to left, creating a smooth, rippling sound, a few kids laughed and gurgled.

"Sakuno nee-chan is brilliant!" Yuzuyu said, swinging her feet to and fro, until Yumiko restrained her.

When the performance was finished, the orchestra all stood up and bowed to wave after wave of applause. Nodame rushed on the stage to assist Sakuno.

"Sakuno..." Tomoka was speechless for a moment, and then started shouting, "SAKUNO! WELL-DONE!"

Ann grinned. "I should have known there was nothing to worry about."

Then the lights in the auditorium were turned on, and the audience started to leave. Tomoka, Ann, Fuji, Yuzuyu, and Yumiko made their way to backstage.

They found Sakuno surrounded by several members of the orchestra, all of them congratulating her.

"Sakuno nee-chan!" Yuzuyu squeezed through the adults, and handed Sakuno a nosegay. "Congratulations, Sakuno nee-chan!"

"Yuzuyu!" Sakuno, who was sitting on a stool, bent down and hugged the little girl. "Thank you so much!"

"You did a magnificent job." Yumiko said, smiling.

"As expected from our Sakuno-chan." Fuji said, wearing exactly the same smile as his sister's.

"How did you get hurt?" Tomoka demanded. "You were fine when you left the house!"

"Oh--uh--" Sakuno put one hand on her head, embarrassed. "I fell down. You know, high heels."

Fuji squatted down and peered at the bandaged foot. "The nurse did a good job."

"Uh--uh--yeah." Sakuno blushed rose-red. "It's a good thing."

Ryoma had told her not to tell anyone of his helping her. Said he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble. Although Sakuno couldn't imagine what unnecessary trouble would come from it, she promised.

After taking numerous photos, Fuji insisted on carrying her to his car on his back. Of course, Sakuno tried to put it off, but the others were persistent.

"It'll be easier than Osakada-san and Tachibana-san holding you up." Fuji said.

"I think you can trust a future doctor's words," Yumiko smiled.

Tomoka and Ann naturally made no protest.

However, once she was astride on Fuji's back, Sakuno wished she could become invisible. So many people passing were whispering and giggling at her. She couldn't see Fuji's face, but when she timidly inquired if she was a burden, he merely laughed and said she was as light as a feather. So it didn't appear that he was bothered.

Still, Sakuno buried her face on his neck a couple of times, but jerked up soon at the skin contact.

She wondered where Ryoma was. Surely he had seen the concert? She had kept an eye out for him during curtain call, but she couldn't see him. In fact, it was hard to see most of the audience due to insufficient lighting.

He had hugged her. His arms had went around her, strong and protectively, like he would shield all the depression and sorrow of the world from her.

Oh please, the rational side of her brain said. It's only a hug. An encouraging, supporting, confidence-boosting, I-believe-in-you kind of hug. He would have done the same if it were Kabaji who was going to play the piano.

Still, how she wished to be in those arms once again--

_No._

Sakuno's grip on Fuji's shoulders tightened.

"Are you all right, Sakuno-chan?"

"Uh--un. Of course. Gomen, Fuji-senpai."

"You know,if anything is bothering you, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you."

"Oh! Don't worry, my ankle feels fine!" Sakuno laughed, trying to lighten the atmosphere. Fuji sounded so serious.

There was a pause.

"I didn't mean your ankle." he said quietly.

Something in his tone indicated that he wasn't happy.

Sakuno was glad when Tomoka and Ann caught up with them, and when they got in the car. Yumiko, with Yuzuyu on her lap, sat in the front, while the girls piled in the back.

"That was such a brilliant performance." Yumiko said, and gave Yuzuyu's cheek a light squeeze. "Yuzuyu, from now on you must practice harder, if you want to be a good pianist like Sakuno-chan!"

"Mama!" Yuzuyu protested.

"Yuzuyu-chan is still very young," Sakuno quickly said. "For her age, she's doing well. Really."

"Anyway, we must have a celebration for Sakuno-chan." Yumiko said. "What do you say, Syusuke? And you girls?"

"That sounds great!" Tomoka exclaimed. "Ann and I planned to do something, but if Yumiko nee-san wants to join us, all the better!"

"Why not, when the summer holidays are coming?" Ann said, grinning.

"Yes, but let's not forget Sakuno-chan is injured." Fuji said. "I think it will be better that we wait until her foot is healed."

"Right." Yumiko laughed. "We must take the doctor's advice."

"Hmm...where shall we go?" Tomoka put a finger on her chin. "We originally wanted to go out for dinner, but now I think we should have something more than food!"

"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno said, alarmed. "Please, there's no need to have something big on my account! Honestly, you've all been so kind to me, it's enough!"

"Don't worry." Ann grinned. "Tomoka's only finding an excuse to have fun."

"Hey!" Tomoka said.

Sakuno giggled. For the moment, the previous strained tension between her and Fuji, and the embarrassment of Ryoma's hug, were banished, as Tomoka, Ann, and Yumiko happily discussed what they should do for the celebration. Yuzuyu's suggestion--the zoo--was met with amused laughter.

Back at home, in her bedroom, Sakuno called Ryoma's cell phone, but there was no answer. Puzzled, she dialed again, but she couldn't get through.

Did he come to the concert at all? He couldn't have just come to give her Cesario's food and went.

Slightly miffed, Sakuno dialed for a third time.

Finally, she gave up.

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Sakuno's success did not end that night. The following day, when she went to class in crutches, Ishiguro-sensei informed her that a manager at a large Tokyo hotel was very impressed at her performance, and wanted to ask if she could come and play at the hotel's restaurant, three nights a week.

"Not right away, their former contract ends in two months." Ishiguro said, handing her the manager's business card. "Besides, the first thing you have to do is rest that foot of yours. How on earth did you injure it like that?"

Sakuno explained.

Ishiguro shook his head. "Kids." he muttered. "Nowadays they are getting out of control. No respect at all. Anyway, I'm glad that your foot didn't affect your performance! You did magnificently, Ryuzaki, and I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." Sakuno bowed. "It's all because of sensei's recommendation and Goda-sensei's guidance that I could have this chance."

Although she acted moderately pleased (she couldn't have a wildly elated fit in front of the teacher), inside, she was jumping with joy. Now she had landed a part-time job at the hotel, she could resign from her waitressing.

She had made her next step on the path towards her dream.

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Summer arrived, hot and sticky. Tomoka and Ann rejoiced as the holidays started, and betook themselves to all kinds of activities from swimming to shopping.

Sakuno was left out of most activities though, as she had to let her ankle heal. She was excused from her job at the restaurant, though Fuji still came to drive her to Yumiko's every week. As Tomoka said, she couldn't stay home all day.

For most of the time, she practiced the piano and studied TOEFL, a language exam she needed to pass for entry to Julliard. She had passed all her English exams in high school, but after a year in college, it seemed that her English ability had shrunk to the level of primary school.

Still, she enjoyed life. Not a day passed without Tomoka and Ann bringing something home, like a new brand of ice cream or the latest film on DVD. Nodame sometimes dropped by, and they had fun playing a duo on the piano, or feeding Ryo-chan.

The only thing that bothered her was Ryoma never returned her call. She called him a couple of times later but she only got his voice mail.

Did he see her concert at all? Why did he disappear all of a sudden?

Oh well, he was an international tennis star. People like him couldn't be bothered with insignificant girls like her. Particular someone who was stupid enough to get her ankle twisted before performing.

Still, the heavenly buttered toast from Cesario's wasn't her imagination.

Fuji seemed to have returned to his normal self. He no longer teased or praised her to the extent that she would be uncomfortable, and simply treated her like a good friend, nothing else. Sakuno was glad.

Little did she know, that this platonic stability between them was soon to end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today, when Sakuno went to give Yuzuyu her piano lesson, Yumiko happened to be out on an errand. After the lesson, Yumiko still wasn't back yet.

Fuji called his sister. "Nee-san said that the department store is crowded, but she's done now. If the traffic is good, she should be home soon. Meanwhile, we should look after Yuzuyu-chan until she's back."

"Uh--sure." Sakuno said.

"Yuzuyu wants to play in the swimming pool!" Yuzuyu tugged on Sakuno's arm. "Come on, Sakuno nee-chan!"

"Okay." Sakuno said, unable to refuse the little girl anything. "Are you coming along, Fuji-senpai?"

"In a moment."

Outside, the weather was perfect--hot and sunny, with a gentle breeze. Yuzuyu whooped in delight and plunged into the water, splashing around and kicking her feet in the air. Sakuno perched on the side of the pool, took off her shoes, and lowered her feet in the water. Her ankle was almost healed now.

Click.

Sakuno sighed. She didn't have to turn to know that Fuji was taking photos. Again. She couldn't understand why Fuji was addicted to taking photos of her. As far as she was concerned, Sakuno didn't see any similarity between her and the glamorous models on magazine covers.

But then, she couldn't see herself from Fuji's point of view.

For Fuji, who was crouching at a bush, the view was irresistable. The clear blue skies, with a few wisps of cotton-candy clouds, the sun shining brilliantly on the pool, making the pool and the top of Sakuno's head glitter. She was wearing a light white summer dress, a straw hat, and her hair was now long enough to reach her waist.

A few minutes later, Yumiko appeared at the doorway.

"I'm home!" she called. "Yuzuyu, you want to come and see the new toy Mama got for you?"

"What toy?"

"The little pony you've always wanted, remember?"

"Oh!" Yuzuyu climbed out of the pool instantly. "I want to see! Now!"

Sakuno started to rise as well, when Fuji interjected, "Would you mind staying out here a little longer, Sakuno-chan?"

Yumiko looked towards at her brother, at Sakuno, and back at Fuji again.

"In that case, I won't bother you two." she smiled, stepping back and shutting the door.

Sakuno waited for the click of the camera. When she didn't hear it, she turned to see if Fuji was still trying to adjust the camera.

To her surprise, he wasn't behind her.

"I'm here."

"Oh!"

Sakuno almost jumped out of her skin when she realized that Fuji had taken his place beside her. And she didn't even hear him.

"Gomen," Fuji said, though his eyes twinkled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Uh--" Sakuno blushed. "--it's okay."

Somehow, that night in the car suddenly resurfaced in her mind. The night when he was so close to her. Now, it seemed that he was almost as close...

Her first instinct was to run. But her shoulders were shaking. Very slightly--almost imperceptible--but Fuji noticed anyway.

"Do I make you nervous, Sakuno-chan?" His voice was gentle. Yet it cut through her heart.

"No!" Sakuno instantly said. It was so fast that anyone could tell she was lying.

"Really?" Fuji reached up and smoothed a stray lock from her face. Sakuno flinched. "Then why do you pull back when I touch you?"

"I--" Sakuno dared not look into his eyes. "I--I don't know."

He let out a sigh, as soft as the light summer breeze.

"I like Sakuno-chan."

Sakuno went still.

The only part of her that was still moving was her heart, which was beating much faster than usual.

Was she in a dream?

"Very much." he added, looking up at the sky. "But it seems that she doesn't like me in return."

"Iie!" Sakuno automatically responded. Of course she liked him! Who couldn't help liking Fuji Syusuke, who was everything a girl wanted? Yet...did she like him more than a friend?

"Then why?"

The way he asked the question made her feel dreadful, like she commited a crime.

"I don't know." Sakuno said lamely. "Maybe--maybe--it's because I always see you as a senpai, as my respected elder?"

"Oh." Fuji looked serious now. "So if you stop seeing me as a respected elder, and get used to the idea of me as a potential boyfriend--will that solve the problem?"

"I--I think so." Sakuno tried to smile. "Fuji-senpai--"

"Syusuke." Fuji interrupted. "Call me Syusuke."

"Okay. I'll try." Sakuno nodded. "Please don't think I'm ungrateful--really, I'm honoured that Fu--I mean, Syusuke, likes me. Syusuke is a wonderful person, and I'm only a stupid little girl."

"Wrong." Fuji started to smile. "Sakuno-chan is the most special girl in the world, but she is too modest to see it. In fact, it is I who would be honoured, if Sakuno-chan will give me her heart."

Upon hearing this, Sakuno actually shivered a little, instead of feeling thrilled from head to toe. He sounded like as though he were a dashing knight in pursuit of a fair lady's hand. If this was in a romance novel, she might have laughed. But in real life--it sounded surreal.

"So--" Fuji actually looked happy now, his trademark smile back in place. "--will Sakuno-chan be my girlfriend?"

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Sakuno slumped against the table.

"What should I do?" she moaned.

"Sakuno!" Tomoka, who just came into the living room. "What's wrong with you?"

"Fuji-senpai asked me to be his girlfriend." Sakuno said listlessly, and jerked up. She hadn't planned to say that. But that thought had occupied her mind so long, and it came out so naturally that she didn't notice.

"OH!" Tomoka plopped down by Sakuno, with big, shining eyes. "Did he? Oh my god, so he DOES like you after all!"

"And what did you say?" Ann said, suddenly appearing as well. She was listening to loud rock music in her room, door closed, so how she heard was a mystery. But then, both Ann and Tomoka seemed to have a magical radar where juicy gossip was concerned.

Sakuno looked at her friends. There was no escape.

"I asked him to give me some time to consider."

"WHAT?" Tomoka yelled so loudly that Ryo-chan, who was sleeping on the sofa, opened his eyes. "WHY?"

"And when will you give him your answer?" Ann said calmly.

"Before the summer holidays end." Sakuno hid her face in her hands.

"Three weeks! You want to let Fuji-senpai suffer that long? Or--" Tomoka's eyes grew bigger. "--is it because of _Ryoma-sama?_"

"No!" Sakuno stood up. "Of course not!"

Ann sat down on the other side of Sakuno. "Do you like Fuji? Answer me seriously."

"I--I think so." Sakuno twisted her fingers. "It's just--being his girlfriend has never crossed my mind."

"Because you're too used of seeing him as a senpai?" Ann said shrewdly.

"Yes." Sakuno was amazed. "How did you know?"

Ann grinned. "Because I major in psychology."

A brief silence ensued.

Then Tomoka reached over and hugged Sakuno. "Sorry, Sakuno. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I just thought that since you and Fuji-senpai are so close, you'd have accepted him."

"It's okay." Sakuno said. How could she be so dense? She should have seen it coming long ago. She just assumed that Fuji was being the protective big brother. That's why he was so nice to her, picking her up from work and driving her around.

Of course, she knew it was also possible that he did all those kind things because he liked her and wanted her, but maybe she was secretly afraid of that option, so she pushed it far behind her mind.

"Well," Ann crossed her arms. "I do think Fuji is ideal boyfriend material, but if you really cannot stop seeing him as an elder brother, then don't feel guilty to refuse him."

"Yeah." Tomoka nodded. "Though Sakuno, I don't think you could go wrong with choosing Fuji-senpai."

"I know." Sakuno stroked Ryo-chan, who had jumped on her lap, meowing. "I know."

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A/N: Hope the Fuji-confessing-his-love scene hasn't gagged you from the sheer amount of fluffiness (I was when I wrote it).

noomma: Um, I'm not sure yet. If necessary I'll write them, but so far I can't think of anything.

Michiko Yokisama: I'd say distant, because most of them are in different universities. Personally I think it's difficult for people to keep in contact for such a long time.

beep-bop-playa: Nodame, as I imagine, can be extremely smart or stupid, depending on the situation.

SuChAbAKa:Thanks, I actually started out because I wanted more Fuji/Saku in my other story but couldn't do it.

Princess Ren: Unless I get a really serious case of writer's block, I will update weekly.

Matoki, The Magical Whatever, DarkMagic10, wirbelwind, ItStHeCaRiBbEaN, ahhmeii, GaaraSakura Luvers 4Evah, dovaly, sesshomaruobsessed, phoe2k, Torogi, abc, Asian Chick 77, lazybluishgurl013, ChibisukeGirl, hiccups, boymeetsgirl82, KenRik: thank you for reviewing!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

For the following week, Sakuno agonized over Fuji's question.

To be or not to be?

Never before had she so fully understood the meaning until now.

This was a big decision to make; she could not afford to be rash. It would be immoral and disrespectful to him, who had been such a perfect gentleman to her. Well, except for the Night-That-Must-Not-Be-Named and him taking photos of her randomly.

So Sakuno sat down and tried to think it over carefully and rationally.

If she accepted him:

1. Free medical assistance.

2. Opportunity to be on the cover of some photography-related magazine.

3. The exciting challenge of devising new recipes of peculiar food for his bentos, as previous experience demonstrated that he enjoyed wasabi sushi, honey mustard, and horseradishes. (Note to self: she could ask advice from Inui-senpai, as Fuji always loved Inui's concoctions)

4. Bathe in the jealous glow from the girls who used to simper at him. (or more accurately, dodge the poisonous darts from those green with envy).

5. Opportunity to sit in the lap of luxury if it leads to marriage, and enjoy the social halo of being a doctor's wife.

Oh god. Why did the possible outcomes she thought of were either materialistic or just plain weird?

If she rejected him:

1. Loss of free chauffeur.

2. Loss of Yuzuyu and Yumiko's good will (and possibly Yuuta's as well).

3. Loss of Tomoka and Ann's good will.

4. Loss of Fuji's warm, encouraging smile. (and his mysterious, sadistic smile too).

5. The possible future of being branded the crazy girl who rejected a doctor. A handsome, kind, polite, talented doctor too.

Sakuno put her hands to her head. After thinking so much, she was back to where she started out.

Suddenly she felt very, very foolish.

This was an emotional problem, not something that can be solved by math.

What should she do?

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Eventually, Sakuno's ankle healed. She immediately returned to work, not only because she drained her savings from purchasing a formal black gown for the concert, but also she was eager to get out of the house.

One day, Sakuno went to school to use the piano and collect some secondhand music books from a senpai who was graduating.

Time passed quickly when she was at the piano. Soon it was time to go to the restaurant.

As she walked towards the gates, she happened to pass the tennis courts. There was a large crowd outside the barbed wire fence; Sakuno couldn't resist pausing for a look.

Echizen Ryoma was there, playing tennis with one of the members from the university tennis club.

When did he suddenly appear? Since the concert, she hadn't seen him, not even in class.

However, she soon forgot that as she watched him play. Like most of the audience, she became mesmerized.

He was beautiful. The way he kept focused on the ball, the swift, graceful movements of his hands, the perfect coordination of his lithe body, and the sharp, precise sound of his racquet as it sliced through the air. Throw in a Hollywood-standard face and figure, and he was the epitome of masculine beauty.

Sakuno couldn't keep her eyes off him.

For a few minutes, she was not the twenty-year-old music student who had ambitions to go abroad and become a concert pianist. She had shrunk, gone back in time. She was now the twelve-year-old young girl who had a huge crush on Echizen Ryoma.

Back then, she had admired him.

She still admired him now.

"He's SO hot!" a girl squealed.

"He's SO cool!" another squealed.

"I'm signing up for the tennis club!"

"Me too!"

Sakuno winced slightly. She remembered that she was once like that, so infatuated with Ryoma that she stopped her piano lessons and started playing tennis, even though anyone could see that she wasn't the least suited for tennis.

Turning around, she walked away slowly. The sounds of "Ryoma, my love!" "Go Ryoma-sama!" "Marry me, Ryoma!" gradually faded away.

Sakuno sighed. Anyway, the past is past. She had her own life to live, and though she was still fascinated by Ryoma's tennis, she'd rather be a friend than a fan.

A hand landed on her shoulder.

"Hey."

Sakuno spun around, and was surprised to see Ryoma. She was even more surprised by the annoyed, irritated expression on his face. Not that it was anything new, but he seldom used that expression on her. At least, not once since he returned to Japan.

"Didn't you see me out there?" his voice sounded uncommonly harsh.

"Huh? You mean on the tennis courts?"

"Exactly." his grip tightened on her shoulder. "Why didn't you say hello or wave or something?"

Sakuno stared. Did he come after her just to ask this question?

"Because I didn't want to distract you. And let go, Ryoma-kun, you're hurting me."

He loosened his grip, but his hand remained on her shoulder, as though she would disappear if he didn't hold on.

"Distract me?" his tone was of incredulity. "Come on, Ryuzaki, you know that my opponent couldn't distract me in a hundred years. This isn't Wimbledon."

"Well, that's what I thought! I didn't want to be a bother!" Sakuno shot back indignantly, unconsciously voicing a concern she had way back in Seigaku. "Anyway, why do you even care so much? Especially when you didn't return my phone calls!"

Now it was his turn to stare. "Phone calls?"

"Yes. I tried calling you after the concert, but you never answered. Didn't you even come at all?" The frustration that was bothering her for a whole month was evident in her voice.

"I was in Europe."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, there were some tournaments and meetings I had to attend to. My agent said if I didn't go, it'll seriously jeopardize my career. And then my mother's birthday came up."

Sakuno breathed deeply. A huge weight was lifted off her mind, though she didn't know why. Why did she care so much if Ryoma came to her concert or not?

"In fact," Ryoma dug his hands in his pockets. ", I had to hurry to the airport right after your concert. And this is the thanks I get?"

Sakuno was taken aback. She didn't know that Ryoma came to her concert when he had so many important things to do. And he had saved her performance, giving her both physical and emotional support. Heat rushed to her cheeks when she remembered the hug.

"I see." she said in a small voice. "I'm sorry."

He looked on the ground. "It's okay."

It was worth it. Although his agent couldn't understand why Ryoma insisted on going to that stupid concert, when he had to be in Germany in 24 hours, Ryoma didn't mind the rush.

Because seeing Ryuzaki perform before an audience was an event he wouldn't miss for the world.

When he saw her in her elegant black gown, playing as though there were no tomorrow, he felt that he could sit there and watch forever. She wasn't the most beautiful girl he met (being a famous athlete afforded the opportunity), but she definitely was the most charming one.

And when she appeared behind that fence, when he was giving the tennis club a practice lesson, he had immediately sought her presence in the crowd. He had expected her to wave or smile at least, but she didn't. She looked kind of weary, turned her back on him, and walked away.

Somehow, it bothered him. Extremely.

He finished the game in five minutes, made an excuse that he had an interview to go to, and rushed after her, leaving his agent to deal with the tennis club and fans.

Because he couldn't let Sakuno leave like that.

"Oh my god!" Sakuno cried suddenly. "I've got to run now, I'm late already!"

Ryoma hated her saying that. Almost every time he was with her, she left him to do something else.

"For what?"

"My job. You know, at the restaurant."

"Oh."

Sakuno noticed that his face darkened.

"Uh, how about you come with me? I'll treat you to lunch at the restaurant I work at. I haven't thanked you properly for helping me last time."

"Oh." Ryoma shrugged, though he was secretly pleased. "It wasn't anything. I knew you could do it, with or without my help."

"But you really gave me the encouragement I needed." Sakuno insisted. "Well, if you're too busy, perhaps some other--"

"I'll come."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sorry I'm late!" Sakuno called.

Before she entered the restaurant, she noticed a slender girl standing by a tall pile of bento boxes at the entrance. A placard was stuck on the top: "Help feed the parentless!" The girl looked very young--probably eleven or twelve. Yet she seemed to be a new waitress, since she wore one of their uniforms.

Since she was running late, Sakuno merely glanced at the girl curiously and entered.

"Please have a seat, Ryoma-kun," she said, and hurried to the staff room to put on her uniform.

On her way, she bumped into Tae.

"Sakuno! What took you so long?"

"Gomen, I met a friend and brought him along," Sakuno said, tying on an apron. "By the way, who is the little girl outside?"

"Oh, that's Tsubame, a girl I adopted from an orphanage." Tae said. "I'm really worried, Sakuno, the orphanage is running out of business, so I thought of selling bentos for charity. But they aren't selling as well as I hoped."

"I'm really sorry to hear that," Sakuno said, remembering Tsubame's thin figure and pale face. "If there's anything I can do to help--"

"--then please, start by coming on time." Tae said.

"Hai. I'm really sorry." Sakuno bowed. She really was. Tae had been so good to her.

She walked over to Ryoma. "What would you like, Ryoma-kun?"

"The same as last time." he said. "You okay? Seems that you have a problem."

"Uh--"

Tae tapped Sakuno's back.

"Who's this?" Tae whispered. "Your new boyfriend?"

"No!" Sakuno glared. Why did Tae take every male acquaintance to be her boyfriend? "A friend."

Then she wondered why Tae had that gleam in her eyes.

"Sakuno." Tae said, grinning. "I have an idea."

Then she went over to Ryoma, and bowed. "Sakuno's friend, can you assist us in a sudden emergency? Please! We need your help."

Ryoma stared. "Huh?"

Tae quickly explained the situation.

"Oh." Ryoma looked skeptical. "Well, if you want me to purchase all those bentos--"

"No!" Tae shook her head. "All we need for you is to stand still."

Sakuno was completely clueless. What did Tae have in mind?

Tae dragged Ryoma over to the entrance, and told him to stand in place of Tsubame.

"Attention, please!" she called to the people passing by. "Anyone who buys a bento gets a free kiss from this gorgeous young man!"

Within seconds, a cloud of dust gathered from the huge group of girls rushing up.

Sakuno's eyes popped out.

Ryoma looked like he was going to faint.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm really sorry!" Sakuno bowed. "I wanted to repay you, but instead, I let you help me again."

After all the bentos were gone, Tae and Sakuno ushered Ryoma into the small staff room in the back, because many girls recognized him as the international tennis star, and if they didn't do something soon, Ryoma would be drowned in a mountain of rabid fangirls.

There were still some smudges of lipstick on his face. Sakuno giggled.

"What?"

Sakuno held up a compact mirror.

The moment when Ryoma saw his reflection--well, let's just say that Fuji would have paid a million to take that photo.

And would likely be paid a billion if he sold the photo to the press.

"Here." Sakuno took out her handkerchief and approached him. "We'd better get that lipstick off your face right away."

Ryoma was about to refuse--not that he wanted to keep those bright red marks--but to prevent her from coming closer. He had already enough intimate feminine contact just then, more than enough for the rest of his life. Moreover, it was dangerous to be close to her.

Too late.

The soft fabric was on his face, and her touch, though indirectly, sent tingling sensations down his spine.

"Hold still!" Sakuno admonished, when she felt Ryoma jerk up.

Now, as much as Echizen Ryoma was known for his cold, indifferent attitude towards females, he was still physically a red-blooded young man. He had hormones. More-than-average sex-crazed, lust-filled hormones too, considering who his father was. It was only because he detested his father's perverted mind that Ryoma was determined NOT to be like him.

If he reached out now, he could hold her as he did last time. He could tangle his fingers in her hair, feel the warm solidness of her body in his arms, touch the softness of her cheek, and maybe, do even more...

But he had a valid excuse for that occasion--he had to comfort her and make her stop crying.

A long feathery curl brushed past his chin, and he could smell her shampoo--of lavender and roses. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed.

Heat rose in his body. His arms itched.

"Stop tempting me," he said irritably.

"Wha--what?" Sakuno paused, her hand still on his cheek. What was he talking about?

"Nothing."

Ryoma thanked the stars above that Sakuno didn't grasp his meaning, and he heaved a sigh of relief when she was done.

"Come on, Ryoma-kun, it's a good cause." Sakuno smiled. "You're a celebrity, and it does good for a celebrity to donate to charity."

"I know." Ryoma grumbled, looking at the ceiling. "But that method took years off my lifespan."

"I'm sorry," Sakuno said. True, he could've made a donation instead. But Tae was so sudden, and when she made that "a kiss for a bento" announcement, things had gone out of control. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

That brought a sparkle in his eyes. "Promise?"

"Why, of course," Sakuno said, bewildered. Didn't he trust her? "As long as it is something I can do--"

She broke off, because she was startled by the impassioned tone of his voice, and moreover, the way he was looking at her. It reminded her of that night when she thought Fuji was going to kiss her.

That distinct masculine glow in his eyes--

Was he--could he--did he--

_Want her?_

"Ryoma-kun--"

There was a knock on the door.

"Sakuno!" Tae called. "Are you still in there?"

"Hai!" Sakuno brushed past Ryoma quickly, and opened the door. "I'm coming!"

Tae was surprised at Sakuno's scarlet expression. But then, her gossipy brain soon drew the conclusions.

She always thought Sakuno an attractive girl, pretty and charming, but Tae never expected that she had the ability to attract _two_ exceptional guys.

Sakuno should write a book on how to catch men, Tae thought, giggling silently behind a large round plate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakuno did her best to maintain a strictly professional image. She asked for Ryoma's order with a perfectly solemn face, though her insides felt like water. When she brought his order, she willed her arms not to shake.

Perhaps it was just a whim. Perhaps he drank something Inui made for him. Perhaps she had hallucinations.

Because she couldn't believe that Ryoma could look at her like that.

The door opened, and a tall foreign girl entered. She had beautiful honey-blond hair, tanned skin, and a model figure. Long, shapely legs, long, shapely arms, a voluptuous busom, and a slender waist.

If the female customers were all drawn to Ryoma, then this time it was the male customers' turn.

Sakuno's heart skipped a beat, but she bravely faced the challenge ahead.

"Welcome!" she bowed to the new customer, hoping that this time her English sounded better. "Please follow me and have a seat."

The girl took off the sunglasses she was wearing, revealing a pair of lovely sea-green eyes.

"Echizen Ryoma--here?" she spoke in halting Japanese.

"Oh," Sakuno pointed to Ryoma's table. "Over there."

"Ryoma!" the girl cried, and hurried over to him. She settled on the chair next to him, crossed her long legs, and leaned forward. "How come you haven't told me where you are?"

"Courtney?" Ryoma looked surprised. "When did you come back?"

"Oh, Keven told me that you planned to return to Japan, and since--"

Wide-eyed, Sakuno (and all the other people in the restaurant) watched the pair. Tae wondered if her calculations had gone wrong.

For a total of five seconds, Sakuno stood like stone. Was this Ryoma's girlfriend? Since she didn't understand a shred of their conversation, she wasn't sure about it, but from Courtney's excited face and her rapid talking, Sakuno could affirm that this girl was on pretty familiar terms with Ryoma.

An impatient call from a nearby table roused her from her stupor. Sakuno bustled around as though nothing happened, but she couldn't help glancing at Ryoma's table now and then.

Hearing Courtney rattle off in perfect American English, and Ryoma responding, "Yeah" or "Nope," Sakuno suddenly felt a strong sense of inferiority.

She put her hand in her pocket and touched the pack of vocabulary flash cards she studied for TOEFL, and had a peculiar urge to tear out the cards from the binding.

What use was it of her learning English, when she would never, in a million years, become as fluent as Ryoma and his stunning American companion?

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After a long discussion, it was decided that they would go to dinner, and then to the Star Festival for celebrating Sakuno's "wonderful, marvellous, excellent performance."

The Star Festival is a holiday in which the Japanese write their wishes on slips of paper, and hang them on bamboo. The bamboo, carrying the wishes, would be burned or set afloat on a river.

And there would be loads of colourful decorations, and outdoor stalls and carnival games, like most summer festivals.

Yuzuyu had been especially excited when Fuji made the suggestion.

On the day of the festival, the girls all dressed up in yukatas, even Yuzuyu.

"Look!" Tomoka squealed, when Yumiko and her daughter arrived. "Yuzuyu-chan is SO adorable!"

"Yes!" Sakuno agreed enthusiastically. "Yuzuyu looks so cute."

"So does Sakuno-chan." Fuji said in a voice so low that only Sakuno heard. It was totally unexpected; he seemed to take pleasure in approaching her noiselessly.

"Fuji-senpai!" she exclaimed.

He frowned. "You seem to have forgotten something."

"Oh!" Sakuno blushed. "I'm sorry, Syu--Syusuke."

Even though he insisted she call him by his name, Sakuno couldn't get used to it. He had been "Fuji-senpai" for so long that saying "Syusuke" just felt weird.

Tomoka nudged Ann, and both of them grinned. Yumiko also smiled.

"Yuzuyu wants candy!" Yuzuyu cried, the only one oblivious.

"Of course, darling." Yumiko said, taking her hand. "Keep a tight hold on my hand, I don't want to lose you."

They proceeded to wander around the festival arena. Sakuno soon forgot about Fuji as she admired the colourful decorations, talked to her friends, and tried some delicious local eateries.

When they reached the riverside, there was a stall with paper strips and pens for the wish-writing.

"Right." Ann rolled back her sleeves and started to write. "'Please let me land a job that pays well, has little work, and requires minimum time commuting.'"

"Oh come on!" Tomoka scoffed.

"Just kidding." Ann winked. "I'd be glad if I land a job at all."

"What did you wish for?" Tomoka asked, trying to peer at Sakuno's paper.

"Oh you know..." Sakuno handed it over.

"'Please let me enter Julliard?'" Tomoka read.

"There's no doubt that Sakuno's wish will be fulfilled." Yumiko smiled.

"Yes." Fuji said. "Though I don't know if mine will come true."

"What did you wish for, Syusuke ji-san?" Yuzuyu said, tugging on her uncle's hand.

Fuji gave a mysterious smile. "It's a secret."

Tomoka and Ann made a beeline for his paper, but no one understood it, as it was written in German. Fuji had mastered German since it was required for medical students.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter, because _we_ know what you wrote!" Tomoka said. "Right, Ann?"

Ann grinned. "I guess."

Just then, people started setting fireworks across the river.

"Yuzuyu wants to see!" Yuzuyu cried.

"Shh...Yuzuyu, maybe we can squeeze a bit further to the front." Yumiko said.

"Don't worry, nee-san." Fuji bent down and lifted Yuzuyu onto his shoulders. "There you go, Yuzuyu-chan. Can you see now?"

"Un!" Yuzuyu nodded happily. "Thank you, Syusuke ji-san!"

Sakuno glanced at Yuzuyu sitting on Fuji's shoulders. The little girl tugged on his hair and wiggled her legs, which must have been uncomfortable for him, but he didn't seem to mind at all.

_I do think Fuji is ideal boyfriend material..._

_You can't go wrong with choosing Fuji-senpai..._

Her friends' comments replayed in her mind as she watched the harmonic scene of Fuji and his little niece together.

She really couldn't find any fault with Fuji. She knew that if she said yes, everyone would applaud. He was a good person; he would treat her well.

Unlike a specific someone, who already had a gorgeous girlfriend, and whose sophisticated world she could not fit in.

She didn't want to make a decision that she might regret later.

As another firework exploded in the sky, Sakuno finally decided what she would do.

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"Can we take a detour?"

Fuji glanced at Sakuno, and noticed that she was looking different than usual. Her face was flushed pink, and she was twisting her fingers. He was slightly surprised at her request, as he should drop her off home after Yuzuyu's lesson, but who was he to refuse a chance to spend more time with her?

Under Sakuno's instructions, Fuji guided the car to a park.

"Let--let us take a walk?"

Fuji smiled gently. "As you wish."

Sakuno steadied her emotions as she walked on the side of the handsome tennis prodigy and doctor-to-be. She had never thought that her long-term acquaintance with him would turn out like this.

Finally, she stopped by a pond. There were no one nearby, except for some ducks happily floating on the water.

Sakuno took a deep breath. She raised her head.

"Syusuke." she made sure her voice was clear. "I've made up my mind. About the question you asked--"

Sakuno flung back her head and made herself look into his eyes.

"--the answer is yes."

She felt him take her by the shoulders, gently but firmly.

"Do you mean it, Sakuno-chan?"

"Hai." Sakuno stared right back without blinking. "It would be a honour to be Syusuke's girlfriend."

She would not hide or run away. Her heart was pounding fast, her throat was dry, her palms were cold. But she would stand up straight, try to stop seeing him as a senpai, and accept him as a boyfriend.

He broke into a smile. It lighted up his whole face, brought a softness to the lines of his features, and made him look absolutely heart-melting.

Sakuno couldn't help smiling too, at how his smile transformed his whole appearance.

His hands were still on her shoulders. A second later, he lowered his head slowly.

This time she knew it was for real.

His kiss was as light as the soft breeze that was ruffling their hair.

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A/N: Phew, another chapter done! Sorry that this update was a bit longer than usual, because RYOMA IS SO HARD TO WRITE! If he seems OOC here, please excuse me. I've done my best.

Btw, I've received a couple staff recruits, and I'm sorry to say no, as I don't read fanfiction often and also I'm worried I might steal ideas from other people. Thank you, all the same, I'm honoured to be considered.

beep-bop-playa: Of course TOEFL is real, having taken it once myself. Grrrr...grrr...I hate those horrible language exams from America, which are mandatory for poor non-native English speakers like me. And don't even get me started on GRE...okay, I'll shut up now.

MDJ: I'm sure you can see chapter six now (and chapter seven too!).

kahel16: Thank you, but I'm not Japanese so I don't know about the "chan" thing. To me, Fuji just seems to be like a person who'd call her "Sakuno-chan." Hope you don't mind.

erlay-chan: Thank you so much, I feel so flattered! I've only written two other PoT stories, though. You can see them in my profile: dovaly, W double-you, Torogi, GaaraSakura Luvers 4Evah, boymeetsgirl82, The Mysterious Fanfic Reviewer, Asian Chick 77, DarkMagic10, PoisonousSakuraBlossom, Prodigy Keyblade Wielder, frienz4ever, sesshomaruobsessed, mawi, SuChAbAKa, The Gandhara, animecutie143, Princess Ren, Matoki, nertz, final frost bite fantasy, anangelwithnoname, lazybluishgurl013, jHeyTTernallie, astig3422, anna-chan, KenRik, Hinamori5, kittylicious, Jomai, snowygirl55: Domo arigato!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Sakuno soon quit her job at the restaurant, and took up her new position as a pianist at a five-star hotel, three days a week. She still went to Yumiko's house once a week though, as she was fond of Yuzuyu. And since both Fuji and her were so busy, her boyfriend insisted that this way they could spend more time with each other.

It wasn't that much time, in Sakuno's opinion. Moreover, they didn't talk much in the car. Fuji seemed happy enough with her sitting quietly by his side. He never forgot to kiss her goodnight, though, which reminded Sakuno that she was now his girlfriend.

Sakuno tried to adjust her long-term habit of seeing Fuji as a senpai. However, it didn't seem to work. Fuji treated her almost the same as before; he patted her head or ruffled her hair. He did kiss her and hold her hand now and then, and Sakuno gradually lost her nervousness. But neither was she thrilled at his caresses. His butterfly kisses and gentle hand-holding awakened no passion in her body. She was more likely to blush at some compliment rather than his touch.

Still, it wasn't like she didn't like him. His smile made her feel more cheerful, and she _did_ get a kind of exhilaration of being his girlfriend, as Fuji was very popular in medical school.

The biggest advantage of all, though, was that being Fuji's girlfriend forced her to focus on her boyfriend only, and forget about a certain someone.

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Ryoma was irritated.

For about the fiftieth time in the day.

Because his agent, Matt, had ordered him to diet.

_Diet_.

Wasn't that word supposed to be reserved for girls?

Ryoma passed a hand through his hair, and his head ached when he remembered his manager's words:

"RYOMA! YOU ARE A TENNIS PRO! STOP LIVING OFF PIZZA AND PONTA! FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET, OR YOU'RE OUT OF THE NEXT TOURNAMENT."

He flipped through the various take-out menus Matt compiled for him. Over half were vegetarian. Not particularly appealing.

Well, the only other option was to cook. Though Ryoma excelled at many things, cooking was not one of them.

Suddenly, a vision of Sakuno's homemade bento surfaced in his head. The cat-shaped onigiri, the cute octapus sausages, the dessert...

And her face appeared as well. Ryoma sank back in the sofa, and images of Sakuno, like pop-up pictures in children's books, sprang into his mind.

He couldn't forget how sweet she looked when she handed the onigiri to him, her smile bright and friendly. And when she played the piano, when she bustled around the restaurant, when she rubbed lipstick off his face...

Sakuno.

When did the little girl who used to have Rapunzel-length braids and the world's worst coordination and a juvenile crush on him started to occupy his mind?

No idea.

Like Mr. Darcy, he couldn't "fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation."

Whenever he scoffed at the idea of having a girlfriend, his baka oyaji would cackle evilly and say, "The time will come, seishounen."

Now it has.

Ryoma stared at his apartment. It was expensive and well-furnished, containing everything he desired, but emotionally--it was empty. Even though Karupin junior provided him company, sometimes he craved for human interaction. Not nosy reporters or bossy agents. He wanted someone who genuinely cared for him as a living, human being.

He is used to being admired and adored, and being followed wherever he went. Yet deep down inside, he is lonely. Kevin and Momo are his closest friends, but Kevin is also busy conquering the world of tennis, and Momo has his own life to live now. They are no longer junior high students.

Now, if Sakuno were here, she would definitely brighten up his emotionally-bare apartment.

He wanted her.

Ryoma reached for his cell phone, but before he could dial Sakuno's number, it began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Ryoma!" Courtney's excited voice. "Guess who I've found?"

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Sakuno closed her eyes for a moment and let her fingers take over. She was playing Yanni's Santorini, one of her favourite songs. She had practiced it hundreds times over; she knew it by heart.

A glass of punch sat on the shiny piano lid. She wore her formal black gown and a pair of long silver earrings borrowed from Ann. Behind her, the twinkling lights of Tokyo at night served as a fitting background.

The tables near her were nearly filled. People automatically kept their voices down, in respect to the live music. Even the bartender leaned forward on the counter when he wasn't working.

When Sakuno finished the song, applause greeted her. It wasn't loud, but approval was evident from the way everyone clapped, and the smiles on their faces.

Sakuno flushed with pleasure. This was the kind of ideal part-time job she was looking for.

Then she saw someone she knew, and nearly fell over in shock.

Ryoma, Courtney, and another blond foreigner she didn't know, were sitting at a corner table. Courtney gave her a wave and smile, while Ryoma gave her a brief nod.

As this was her last song, Sakuno got her bag, bid the manager good night, and hurried over to them.

"Ryoma-kun!" she exclaimed. "How come you knew I'm here?"

"Coincidence." he replied. "My friend Kevin Smith--" he indicated the young man next to him. "--has to go to a tournament here, and he's staying at this hotel."

"Hi." Kevin nodded towards her.

Sakuno bowed a little. "Plea--pleased to meet you." she said in English.

"And you've met _me_ before," Courtney smiled up at her. "The name's Courtney Lowell."

"Ryuzaki Sakuno." Sakuno said. She caught sight of Courtney's fingers intertwined with Kevin's. Suddenly, she realized that she had made a huge mistake.

Courtney rattled on, "I knew I saw you somewhere, when I saw you playing out there. But I never expected that the little waitress is also an awesome pianist!"

Sakuno barely heard anything. She didn't know why she had this strange, elated feeling, and her heart felt considerably lighter, but there it was.

Fortunately, she kept nodding and smiling while her mind wandered somewhere else, thanks to her waitress-training

"So," Courtney continued. ", we're going to a night club now, 'cause Kevin wants a taste of Tokyo's nightlife, and so do I. You wanna come with us?"

Ryoma translated.

"Oh! Tha--thank you, but no." Sakuno stammered, still in English.

"Why not?"

"I--I--have to go home. School. Tomorrow." Sakuno wished she could get away as fast as possible. She _could_ speak better than that, but somehow, in front of these foreigners and Ryoma, she became tongue-tied.

Ryoma raised his eyebrows. "Alone?"

"Yes, there's a bus I can take." Sakuno switched to English. "Sorry, but I must go."

Courtney looked disappointed.

"That's okay." Kevin spoke up. "Besides, Ryoma didn't feel like going either, didn't you?"

Ryoma scowled, but he didn't deny it either. Anyone could see that he wasn't a fan of night clubs.

Courtney suddenly brightened. "In that case, Ryoma can take her home. I can tell that you'd prefer it to a night club, eh?"

"Uh--no--it's okay." Sakuno tried to refuse.

Ryoma rose. "Come on."

"A girl like you shouldn't walk home alone," Courtney said, winking. "And don't worry, if he does anything to you, Kevin will take care of him on the tennis court!"

Again, Sakuno didn't understand. But she did understand that Ryoma was not going to leave her alone. He stood there, hands in pockets, and an annoyed expression that clearly meant, "Are you coming or not?"

"Go!" Courtney gave her a light shove, and Sakuno stumbled forward, almost hitting Ryoma. He put out a hand to steady her, and an electric jolt shot through her when he grabbed her wrist.

"Gomen!" she blurted. Why is she always clumsy around him?

"Stop apologizing, Ryuzaki." he said, and turned to his friends. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

He strode away, still holding on Sakuno's wrist.

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It wasn't until they were on the corridor that Sakuno shook off Ryoma's hand--quite forcibly, in fact.

He looked back at her, surprised.

"I--I can walk on my own perfectly," Sakuno said. "I'm not wearing high heels today."

Ryoma shrugged. "Then walk faster. It's already eleven, you know."

"And I can get home on my own too. You don't have to take the bus with me."

"Bus?" Ryoma raised his eyebrows. "We're taking no bus. My chaffeur can drop you off at your place."

"Cha--chaffeur? You have a chaffeur?"

"Yeah. Now come on." he reached for her hand again, but Sakuno put her hands behind her back.

"What's with you?" Ryoma snapped.

"I told you, I can walk. I'm not a baby." Sakuno shot back, walking as fast as she could.

But Ryoma, being a world-class athlete, caught up with her in no time.

"I mean, why do you insist on refusing my help?"

Sakuno didn't answer.

"Why do you insist on going home alone? There are perverts, you know."

"And you're one of them." she said without thinking.

"WHAT?" Now he really looked mad.

"Well--" Sakuno started. "--you hugged me. Without my consent! And you grabbed my hand twice. Is that the normal way you treat a female friend, Echizen-san?"

She called him Echizen.

Ryoma was infuriated.

"Look here, woman," he was tempted to grab her by the shoulders and give her a good shake. "Last time I had to stop your crying. And this time--well--if I don't make you, you're gonna stand there forever. I have no intention of doing ANYTHING. Why, if I did, you'd be in my apartment by now!"

Sakuno blushed scarlet at his last sentence. Even Ryoma sensed that he was going too far.

"I'm going out with Fuji-senpai." she suddenly said.

Now this was a shock worse than being called a pervert.

"You're kidding."

"I am. Therefore, I appreciate your help, but it's quite wasted, thank you."

Ryoma looked at her for a long moment. Sakuno stared back, half-defiantly. He knew she was telling the truth.

He sighed. "Come on."

"But--"

"Look, I don't care if you're Fuji's girlfriend, or Tezuka's, or Atobe's, whatever. You are not going home alone, and that's final."

They were on the first floor by now. Ryoma signalled to his chaffeur, and within minutes, Sakuno found herself sitting in the back of a large, luxurious black limo. It was the first time she was actually in a limo, and her eyes widened at the sleek, elegant interior, complete from a gleaming studded ceiling to a neon-lit mini bar.

Ryoma settled beside her, reclining lazily into the velvet cushions. She couldn't help noticing how graceful he stretched, like a cat.

"So where do you live?"

Sakuno gave the address, and the car sped off. Outside, the numerous white lights from the skycrapers winked at her.

Was she dreaming?

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The ride was a quiet one. Ryoma spoke not a word, and neither did Sakuno feel inclined to talk. So she focused instead on the view outside--which was breathtaking. It was a pity that she wasn't talking to him.

She was relieved when the limo pulled up outside her apartment building.

The chaffeur made a move to get out, but Ryoma stopped him. Instead, Ryoma himself opened the door, and waited until Sakuno got out.

"Well, thank you very much, Ryoma-kun." Sakuno said. "Good night."

"Wait."

"Huh?"

He caught her arm, and pulled her towards him. Before Sakuno realized what was happening, Ryoma had leaned down and captured her lips with his own.

It wasn't like she hadn't been kissed before. In high school, she had gone out with a couple of boys. Fuji had kissed her a dozen times already.

But this was so--_different_.

Ryoma's kiss was nothing like the timid, schoolboy peck or Fuji's soft, gentle brush. It was hot, sensual, demanding. His fingers tangled in her hair so she couldn't pull away, and his mouth forced hers open to give him access, and the things he proceeded to do...

In the deep recesses of her mind, she had a hazy thought that if Ryoma was a world champion in tennis, he definitely deserved another title in the art of kissing.

When he finally released her, both of them were out of breath.

When Sakuno came to her senses, she realised the atrocity of the situation, and slapped him. Hard.

"Wha--wha--you're doing?" she almost shouted. "Are you crazy?"

He smirked, despite the red handprint on his cheek.

"You promised that you'd make it up to me." he pointed out. "For the number of kisses I received that day, I'd say this is letting you off easily."

Sakuno wondered where the logic was in his reasoning, but before she figured out a comeback, Ryoma had turned his back on her.

His hand paused on the car door. He looked back, and for a second, Sakuno thought there was a tiny moisture glistening at the corner of his eyes.

"Goodnight."

And he slipped into the limo. In a second, he was gone.

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Back in his apartment, Ryoma slammed his fist on the table.

What did the gods of dating have against him?

Considering his reputation, he could have anyone he wanted. He never had the difficulty of getting a girl, it was always the other way round. Therefore, it came as a tremendous shock that the first time he truly wanted someone, she was out of reach.

Why did it have to be Sakuno?

And why did she have to be taken?

He thought he was doing well; taking the proper, logical first step by seeing her home. Besides, didn't Ryuzaki use to have this crush on him? Well, okay, that was six years ago, but still...

Never in his dreams could he have expected her blurt out she was already someone else's girlfriend.

And he had kissed her by force too, with the knowledge that she was Fuji's girlfriend. He could be sued for sexual harrassment, even though Sakuno "owed" him.

But his body reacted faster than he thought. When he saw Sakuno walking away, he simply felt that he _had_ to do something before letting her go.

Right. Now he would settle down, forget about everything Sakuno-related, and move on with his life.

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"Eh? Where is Echizen Ryoma?" Nodame hovered by Sakuno's table.

"I don't know." Sakuno frowned at the empty seat. The Japanese literature class was supposed to be taken for a whole year. Yet Ryoma had n't showed up for two classes already.

Near them, a group of fangirls (and a few fanboys) were sniffling and blowing their noses with handkerchieves.

"Where is Ryoma-sama?" one wailed.

"I want him back!"

"Ryoma! My heart is breaking!"

"Calm down." the teacher's assistant, who came by to hand out new class materials, spoke up. "Echizen Ryoma transferred to another class."

Everyone in the class looked towards the TA.

"Which one?"

"I'm transferring too!"

Sakuno gripped her pen and told herself that she didn't care a whit if Ryoma transferred. She hadn't forgiven him for that night he kissed her outside her apartment.

Resentment burned in her veins.

What if a reporter happened to be close by? She would be on the front page of tabloids, and considering that she was already Fuji's girlfriend, Sakuno was sure that this would be her death knell.

She hated Ryoma for kissing her.

She hated him for ignoring the fact that she was taken.

She hated him for offering that lame excuse that she "promised to make up to him."

But most of all, she hated that she didn't regret that he had kissed her. Not at all.

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"Time's up."

Fuji put down his pen, glad that the forensics exam was over. He may be a prodigy, but medical school exams weren't a piece of cake either. One of his classmates lost her appetite weeks before the exam, and could only eat bread and water. Another was reputed to have shed a tear for every page in the textbook. Of course, it was kind of amusing to see the reactions people had, being the evil sadist after all, but still, he'd prefer the post-exam euphoria.

As he walked out of the classroom, he saw Sakuno in the corridor. His smile grew wider.

"Gomen, Sakuno-chan. Did you wait long?" he asked.

Sakuno shook her head. "How was the exam?"

"Not bad."

"That's great!" Sakuno held up his bento, neatly wrapped. "Shall we go and have lunch?"

"Of course." Fuji took her hand, and they headed to the empty classroom they usually had lunch in. By now, everyone who knew Fuji knew that Sakuno is his girlfriend, and his admirers had long since dried their tears.

When Sakuno uncovered the lid of the lunchbox, Fuji was gratified by the sight.

"I know you like wasabi, so I made a batch of handrolls. With asparagus. It's kind of different from the norm, but I thought you'd like a change," Sakuno said, twisting her fingers. "And I hope the mustard is strong enough, I asked the supermarket clerk for the strongest kind--"

Fuji leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"Arigatou." he said in a low voice. "I am so lucky to have Sakuno-chan as my girlfriend."

"I--ie--" Sakuno said, embarrassed. "Le--let's eat! I'm hungry."

After a while, Fuji's cell phone started ringing.

"Nee-san? Oh...but...I see...all right. Ja ne."

"Is everything okay?" Sakuno inquired, seeing he looked a trifle disappointed.

"My father plans to take us to Hawaii this Christmas."

"But that's good news!" Sakuno said, surprised.

"I know, but I thought we planned to spend Christmas together." Fuji said. "You're not disappointed?"

"Oh, because you mentioned that your father is seldom home." Sakuno said. "And Yuuta will go, right? Now there's a chance for you all to be together!"

"Ah, you're right." Fuji smiled. "Though, it's still a pity..." he stared off into space dreamily. "We could have dinner at my place, you know, and..."

"Uh--that's okay." Sakuno said. Although she no longer shrank from his touch, being alone with him, at his place, still intimidated her.

"Since I can't be with you for Christmas," Fuji said. "We must have a date. It's some time since we've last gone out, ne, Sakuno-chan?"

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"Kawaii!" Tomoka squealed. She pulled Sakuno and Ann over. "Look, look, isn't it the cutest thing ever?"

Sakuno squinted at a chubby koala, whose encircling arms formed a hollow in which a cell phone can be placed.

Ann giggled. "Tomoka. Don't you think this is a little--childish for your boyfriend?"

Tomoka's face fell. "But it's really adorable!"

"Then maybe you can buy it for yourself?" Sakuno suggested.

"Yeah, I think I will!" Tomoka said, brightening. "After all those mind-boggling exams, I should treat myself!"

As the three girls emerged from the store, laden with shopping bags, a tall figure approached.

"Momo-senpai?" Sakuno and Tomoka said.

"Momoshiro!" Ann said.

"Yo." Momo grinned, his face going red. He and Ann had been going out for a few months.

"Honestly, where have you been all morning?" Ann chided. "I've tried calling you but your cell phone was off!"

"Er--dead batteries?" Momo decided not to admit that he had detention, due to some violent tennis matches which resulted in a broken window. "So--you girls are doing Christmas shopping?"

"Hai." Sakuno said.

"Did you get something special for me?" Momo leaned forward to Ann, with a cheeky grin.

She looked away with a frown. Momo scratched his head.

"Well--" Tomoka decided to intervene. "Ann received a call from XX company this morning. She got her dream job!"

"And she's been trying to call you all morning to tell you, but she couldn't reach you." Sakuno added.

"OH!" Momo shouted. "Congratulations! Gomen, I promise you that next time--"

"Take me out to dinner." Ann said. "You said you would if I got the job."

"Uh--" Momo's cheeriness faded a little. "--sure."

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"Here's to Tachibana Ann!" Tomoka cried.

Three glasses clinked in the air.

"Congratulations, Ann!" Sakuno said.

"Thank you." Ann grinned. "Though honestly--" she waved towards the table, which was in danger of toppling from the amount of dishes. "--was it necessary to get up a banquet on my account?"

"Absolutely!" Tomoka said. "Your success in securing your dream job warrants a celebration!"

"Right." Sakuno passed Ann a plate of delectable meatballs. "And our excuse for eating a lot."

Ann took a bite in the meatball. Her expression clouded.

"What?" Tomoka was alarmed. "Is there something wrong? Maybe I forgot to put enough sauce..."

"Iie." Ann said. "I'm glad I got the job, but on the other hand--it's so far away. I hate to leave you guys."

"Ann..."

Ann wiped a tear, and smiled. "I'll miss your cooking, Sakuno. And your piano. Perhaps I'd better get your autograph now, because you're sure to become a famous pianist one day."

"Oh, come on," Sakuno laughed, but she also couldn't help feeling sad.

"And I'll miss your loud voice, Tomoka."

"Hey!" Tomoka protested.

"I meant it as a compliment," Ann grinned. "Hearing your exuberant voice every day gives us energy."

Sakuno nodded, giggling.

"Hmph!" Tomoka pretended to be mad. "You have to thank me, because without me shouting in the morning, you'd be late for class every day!"

"Yeah, right." Ann said. "I just hope my future room-mate's lung capacity doesn't measure up to yours. Then I can sleep soundly."

"Ann..." Tomoka growled, and stretched out her arms as if to strangle Ann.

"And I'll miss dear little Ryo-chan as well," Ann said, stroking the kitten's ears. "You guys better take good care of him! I'll definitely drop in once in a while to see him."

Tomoka's arms paused in the air. "Uh, actually--"

"Eh?" Sakuno was surprised to see a blush diffuse over Tomoka's face.

"Suzuki asked me to move in with him."

"Oh." Ann crossed her arms. "But are you leaving Sakuno alone here?"

"No!" Tomoka said. "I can stay here, really! It's just--his place is much closer to school--"

"Tomo-chan, it's okay." Sakuno tried to soothe her friend. "I can find another place, and besides, when Ann moves out, the rent will be higher. There's no reason you shouldn't go live with your boyfriend!"

"Hmm..." Ann thought for a while. "In that case, perhaps Sakuno can move in with Fuji."

"Ann!" Sakuno went as red as the cherry tomatoes on the salad. "I ca--can't! How dare you suggest such a thing!"

"If Tomoka can move in with her boyfriend, why can't you do the same?"

"And I don't think Fuji-senpai will mind," Tomoka said slyly. "He really likes you, Sakuno, I can see it."

"En--enough!" Sakuno held up her hands. She really didn't know what to do when her friends teased her about her love life.

Fortunately, the sound from her cell phone saved her.

Sakuno was surprised at the caller's ID.

"Hi, Tae. How's it going?"

"Sakuno." Tae's voice sounded desperate. "I need your help. Or more specifically, your friend's help."

"Huh?" Sakuno was confused. "My friend? Which one are you talking about?"

"The nice boy who helped us sell the bentos. Echizen Ryoma, isn't he? The famous tennis star?"

"Hai. But why do you need his help?"

"The orphanage is going to close." Tae sounded almost in tears. "And Sakuno, oh, I don't know who can save the children except him."

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A/N: I swear I didn't plan to write Ryoma being so--er--intense? But characters really get out of hand when I write--dunno if you understand.

silverquill-87: Um, the "list" of reasons was meant to be humour...sort of. Please don't take it seriously. And besides, Sakuno herself doesn't approve!

Wizzel: I'm so glad that you know Nodame as well! And about TOEFL, actually it's not hard, what I'm mad is the outrageous cost and the score is only valid for two years. Hmm...wonder if the Cambridge test is harder than GRE...that would be a total nightmare!

beep-bop-playa: Gee, thanks. I'm Taiwanese, but I lived in Australia for a few years. In fact, if it weren't for those years, my English would have really sucked, and I'd never dream of writing fanfiction!

Jomai, noomma, Asian Chick 77, DarkMagic10, Prodigy Keyblade Wielder, ChibisukeGirl, The Anti FujiSak, Mysterious Fanfic Reviewer, snowygirl55, dovaly, mulisk, frienz4ever, W double-you, angrie, sesshomaruobsessed, phoe2k, mawi, singer in the wind, PoisonousSakuraBlossom, Tsuki Shizuku, animecutie143, KenRik, ShadeXH, Princess Ren, Torogi, aSyLLe-cLaiRe, lazybluishgurl013, Iris-sama, isha-chan, kahel16, Tamster, Wistful-Dreamer, Himeru-chan, zairoon, Pure Essence, danxi123, astig3422, fanficgirl8, ItStHeCaRiBbEaN, G4kly, a, kittylicious, xryosakufujix, Matoki, SuChAbAKa, drewlover, ahhmeii, G4kly, anna-chan: A big hug and thank you!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

For a moment, Sakuno was speechless.

"You--want Ryoma-kun--save the orphanage?"

"Gomen, Sakuno." Through the phone, Sakuno could hear faint sounds of Tae sniffling. "But--I don't know what to do."

"There has been this huge influx due to the closing-down of another orphanage," Tae went on. ", and since the financial situation is already unstable, the new addition has caused a disaster. Already seven have died from malnourishment and disease."

"Oh no." Sakuno whispered. She pictured little Tsubame dying from hunger, and reaching out a bony hand to her, crying for help.

"We have contacted a few authorities, but the paperwork and the process will take some time. We are in need of immediate assistance. So I thought, if Echizen Ryoma can visit the orphanage, bring the media as well, it will certainly attract nationwide attention, or even international attention."

"I understand." Sakuno pursed her lips. "I promise you, Tae, to convince Ryoma-kun."

"Oh thanks, Sakuno. Please, please do your best. I wish I could adopt the whole orphanage myself, but obviously it isn't possible."

"Don't worry, Tae. I'll make him see sense."

When Sakuno hung up, Ann and Tomoka begged her to tell whatever happened.

"I heard you mention Ryoma-sama's name!" Tomoka said.

"What does Echizen Ryoma have to do with this?" Ann said.

Sakuno explained.

"So that's why Tae called." Ann mused. "Just like her, to be so considerate towards those in need."

"What are you waiting for?" Tomoka said. "Call Ryoma-sama this instant!"

"Uh--right." Sakuno picked up her phone. Briefly she remembered the last time she saw Ryoma. He had kissed her by force. Not altogether a pleasant memory.

While she dialled, a tiny part of her actually wished that he wouldn't pick up the phone. She cared for the orphans, she truly did. But considering that Ryoma and her weren't on the best terms, and that Ann and Tomoka were by her side waiting eagerly, Sakuno didn't feel she was up to the task, even though she promised Tae she'd persuade Ryoma.

Her wish wasn't granted. He picked up just when she thought of giving up.

"Ryuzaki?"

"Ryo---Ryo--Ryoma-kun, I--"

"Yes?"

Sakuno took a deep breath.

"The orphanage--the one you helped last time--is running out of business. So--Tae--the woman in the restaurant I used to work with--she thought that if you could help out a bit, just a visit to the orphanage, and via the media--"

"_The media?_"

"Uh--yes. Gomen, I know that you don't like the press, but you see, using this method we could attract nation-wide attention to the dire situation--"

"No."

Curt and crisp. Sakuno had expected him to refuse, but still, the abruptness of his manner stung her.

"But Ryoma-kun, please, it will do good to your name--"

"I told you, _no._ I don't need more publicity, thank you."

And he hung up.

Sakuno stared into space as the empty beep, beep from the phone resounded in her ears.

"He refused?" Ann and Tomoka said, inferring from Sakuno's blank expression.

Sakuno nodded, mute.

"But why?"

"I--I--" Sakuno decided not to tell of the Night-That-Must-Not-Be-Named. "Um--bad mood?"

"Is he?" Ann's shrewd eyes searched Sakuno's face. "So that's why you were so nervous when talking to him?"

"Yes." Sakuno silently pleaded her not to ask anymore. If Ann really probed the issue further, Sakuno did not think she could lie successfully.

Fortunately, Tomoka intervened.

"Then try again!" she urged. "He can't be grumpy all the time, can him? Just bribe him with--with your homemade desserts or something!"

"Hai, Tomo-chan. I will."

Back in her room, Sakuno threw herself on the bed. She dragged a hand over her forehead. She really, really disliked the task that lay ahead, but it had to be done.

Even if she had a final exam, a part-time job, and several flats to visit, she would have to do it.

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When the exam was over, Sakuno breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know how many hours she had sat up studying for this final exam.

Once she put her pen down, she felt her head go dizzy for a moment. Sakuno rubbed her temples and tried to pull herself together. Recently she had experienced bouts of giddiness when she completed a harrowing task.

She would have dearly loved to go home and rest, but she couldn't. Fuji had arranged for them to go out, and she didn't want to refuse. He seemed really disappointed that they couldn't spend Christmas together, so she was determined not to let him down on this date.

"You look tired, Sakuno-chan." Fuji said. His gentle voice was tinged with worry. "Perhaps we should postpone our date..."

"No. I'm fine, really. Just a little weary from the exam." Sakuno said, shaking her head. "And I--I want to spend some time with you before you go abroad with your family."

Her last sentence worked like magic. Fuji's smile deepened. It was rare that Sakuno expressed her feelings for him verbally.

Still, his medical training told him that Sakuno wasn't looking well, and her health should be his priority. So before they went off to the cinema, Fuji insisted that she nap for a moment.

Sakuno gave in, though she did blush furiously when he told her to lay her head on his lap. What if Tomoka or Ann happened to see them!

Her heart pounded, but she didn't want to say no. It was quite a normal thing for a girl to lie on her boyfriend's lap, it's just she didn't feel like it. Fortunately, fatigue overcame her nervousness. Plus, Fuji's hands did excellent work. As his fingers massaged her scalp tenderly, a heavy drowsiness soon engulfed her and she fell asleep.

Later, when they went to see Spiderman 3, Sakuno managed to stay awake for the entire movie. She also managed to listen and smile at the candle-lit dinner that followed, though most of the conversation slipped out of her mind right after she heard it.

It wasn't until he produced a small, elegantly-wrapped box that she became fully attentive.

"An early Christmas gift." he said, smiling.

Judging from the size, could this be...?

With trembling fingers, Sakuno undid the ribbons and opened the box.

An exquisite silver necklace nestled on purple velvet, with a sparkling pendant in the shape of a rose, complete from petal to leaf.

"Oh!" Sakuno gasped.

"You don't like it?"

"No...it's just..." Sakuno put a hand on her heart. "I've never received such a wonderful gift before. I don't deserve it."

"There is nothing Sakuno-chan doesn't deserve." Fuji said, making her squirm in her seat. "May I have the honour of fastening this on you?"

"Um...sure."

When he lifted the hair from the nape of her neck, Sakuno felt horribly exposed, despite being fully dressed. Moreover, when he did the clasp, she felt entrapped, as though the necklace were a leash. Then she crushed the notion.

"There." Fuji whispered by her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "One day, I hope, I may put something more significant on you."

Sakuno felt her face heat up so much that she wouldn't be surprised if smoke issued from her ears. She wished he wouldn't do such intimate things; quite a few people were looking in their direction.

Yet when he sat down across her, with such a beatific smile on his face, a part of her ached. She wanted to love him, she truly did. But no matter how hard she tried, it seemed she could never achieve the same level of affection he held for her.

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Sakuno hurried across the street. The cold wind nipped her face, and she wished she could go home, curl up in bed with Ryo-chan and a steaming mug of hot chocolate. After a full day of TOEFL-studying and a piano rehearsal with Nodame, Sakuno wanted nothing more than a good rest. But she couldn't. She had to see to a prospective flat now, as she would have to move out soon.

On her way, she saw a slender young girl bowing profusely to a pudgy old man, who was shouting and waving his fists. A few large shopping bags lay scattered on the ground.

Sakuno recognized the girl as Tsubame, the orphan girl Tae had taken under her wing.

"Look at what you've done!" The man was raging. "This is my best suit, and you had to bump into me and ruin it!"

"I'm really sorry, sir," Tsubame said, tears springing in her eyes. "Please, I didn't mean to--"

"You have to pay for a new suit." The man said, snarling. "Since it's all your fault."

Tsubame was shocked at this outrageous demand. How could she afford to buy an expensive suit?

"Excuse me." Sakuno stepped forward. Tsubame's eyes widened. The man looked even more surly.

"What?" he growled.

"I believe that these stains can be easily washed off." Sakuno said calmly. "There is no need to ask for a new one."

"Look, I said I wanted a new suit, and I mean it!" The man bristled. "Mind your own business, or you'll taste the wrath of my fist!"

"Then I shall call the police." Sakuno raised her cell phone. "I'm sure they would be very interested to hear that someone is threatening a helpless child on the streets!"

Sakuno was furious, and her eyes were flashing. Her voice rose as she spoke, attracting the attention of people passing by.

Taken aback by her defiant attitude, and also cowered by the stares directed towards them, the man muttered a few swear words, and slinked away.

Sakuno turned towards Tsubame, who was still shaking, and put her arms round the younger girl.

"It's okay now, Tsubame-chan. I'm sure he won't bother you again."

"Th--thank you, Sakuno nee-chan." Tsubame whispered.

Sakuno smiled and shook her head. Then she bent down to pick up some of the groceries which had fallen out of the shopping bags. When all things were retrieved, Sakuno was amazed at the amount.

"Three bottles of milk!" she exclaimed. "And a bag of rice! How can you possibly manage to carry so much weight?"

Tsubame looked down on the ground. "Be--because Tae-san is so pre-occupied with the orphanage lately. I want to lessen her workload. Besides--" Tsubame raised her head. "--compared to the others, I'm really fortunate. I don't mind carrying these, honestly."

Upon further questioning, Sakuno learned more about the sad situation of the orphanage where Tsubame came from. Food portions were measly, clothes were stitched and patched, and half of them couldn't go to school. But that actually was during the better times.

Since the owner, who apparently couldn't bear a bleak future surrounded by hungry kids, decided to steal the remaining funds and flee for America, the orphanage has been hovering on the brink of disaster.

There seemed no way out but to close. But where would the children go?

"I have a friend, Yahiko-chan," Tsubame said. "When I was still there, sometimes some men from the street gangs would come, saying that he owes them money. I'm so afraid that when the orphanage closes, Yahiko will be taken away by those bad men."

"It won't close."

"Huh?"

"The orphanage won't close." Sakuno clenched her fists. "Don't worry, Tsubame-chan. Your friend won't be turned over to the street gangs."

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Ryoma lay back on the sofa, a glass of wine in hand. Snuggled at his side was Karupin junior, purring contentedly. After a full day of tennis, meetings, and classes, there was nothing he'd rather do than doing nothing.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. An irritated look flashed across Ryoma's face.

"Ryoma!" The door opened a crack, and Courtney's head popped out.

"What?"

"I've brought someone to see you."

"I'm in no mood to entertain visitors."

"Oh, but I know this one is an exception." Courtney winked, and Ryoma had a strange sense of foreboding.

"Look, it's late already--"

Too late. The door swung fully open, and Ryuzaki Sakuno entered.

Startled, Ryoma sat up. A few drops of wine spilled from his goblet.

She walked steadily over to him. He noted there were dark circles round her eyes, indicating that she hadn't slept well, though her eyes were bright and determined.

"I apologize for intruding on such a late hour."

Still stunned at her sudden appearance, Ryoma merely nodded and pointed to a chair.

However, Sakuno did not sit. She could not relax while an urgent mission was hanging over her head.

Suddenly, she made a low bow.

"Please! Save the orphanage! Onegai!"

Ryoma was dumbfounded. Ever since he ran into her in the corridor, Sakuno gave him the impression of being strong-minded in the core, however kind and friendly she appeared to be. Seeing her bow to him, signifying submission, was something totally unexpected.

Several seconds passed before he regained composure.

"Sit down."

She didn't budge.

"Onegai." she repeated.

"Why?" Ryoma couldn't help asking. "Why are you so bent on asking me to help that orphanage?"

"Because I care." Sakuno's voice grew stronger. "Is it so strange, Ryoma-kun, that I want to see children who haven't the privilege you and I had, to grow up well-fed and clothed? I know you probably don't want to hear or see me again, but for one last time, please, I beg you."

She bowed again--this time so low that the tips of her long hair brushed the ground.

It seemed that unless he cede her request, she would remain in that position until sunrise.

Much as he hated unnecessary publicity, Ryoma had to admire her resolve. She didn't give up when he hung up on her. Instead, she came to see him _in person_, even though she probably didn't want to see him again, considering what he had done to her.

"All right."

A pause.

"You mean it?" Sakuno raised her head, and looked at him directly in the eye. "You promise to help?"

"Yes." Ryoma said. Then, to strengthen his credibility, he added, "I'll go there as soon as you tell me the address."

"Oh!" Sakuno breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she finally accomplished her mission, she suddenly felt very, very tired. All the stress and worries she kept repressed within for the past few weeks seemed to overcome her physically.

She moved forward, to tell Ryoma the name of the orphanage, but her legs wouldn't listen. To tell the truth, she had been feeling uncommonly tired when she came in the room. Her head ached terribly, and her body felt cold, even though Ryoma's apartment was well-heated. It was only the thought of the orphanage, that she must persuade Ryoma, that kept her walking upright.

Now that the problem was solved, all her will power seemed to vanish, and fatigue took over.

"Ryuzaki!"

The world went dark as she staggered and fell, straight into his arms.

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When Sakuno awoke, she thought she was dreaming.

She was lying in a double bed with big, soft pillows, fleecy blankets, and a satin cover. There was a sleek white couch, with a gold-rimmed mirror hanging nearby. Also, a three-legged glass table, a rose-coloured lampshade, and a quaint little teaset.

Was she in a five-star hotel room? It reminded her of the ones she saw in the hotel she worked at as a pianist.

Sakuno sat up. Her head still ached, but not as intolerable as earlier. Groggily, she lowered her feet to the floor, and groped for the door.

Outside was a corridor lined with thick carpets. Oil paintings and gilt-edged lamps adorned the walls.

She must be dreaming.

"You're awake." a voice suddenly said, and Sakuno could have jumped out of her skin.

She whirled around instantly, so quickly that her body weakened, and her head felt dizzy.

Strong arms steadied her, preventing her from stumbling. Sakuno looked up, and thought she must be dreaming again.

He wore a dressing robe of dark blue velvet, in a careless way that afforded a generous view of his bare chest. His dark hair was tousled and rumpled, suggesting that he just got out of bed. In the dim light, his brilliant cat-like eyes looked twice as alluring as usual--which was something, considering how attractive he already was. All in all, he looked positively ravishing, standing in the corridor in his dressing robe, radiating dangerous signals from pure, unadulterated sexiness.

"Ryo--Ryoma-kun?" she whispered. "Why are you here? Where am I?"

"You fainted several hours ago, so I carried you to the guest room."

Sakuno stared. It finally registered in her mind that she was still in Ryoma's apartment.

"I--must go home." she croaked.

Ryoma looked as though she was crazy.

"It's _three_ in the morning."

"Th--three? I--I--" Suddenly, Sakuno began coughing.

Ryoma instantly disappeared into the kitchen. Athletic training enabled him to move so fast, it seemed barely a second that he returned with a glass of water.

"Drink."

Sakuno gulped down the water obediently. Ryoma took the glass from her when she finished, and felt her forehead. Sakuno blushed at his touch. It was a good thing her face was already pink from her fever.

"Your fever hasn't gone down yet." he said, frowning. "Now, go back to bed. The doctor said you should rest a few days."

"But I--"

"Do you want me to carry you inside?"

The forcefulness of his tone and the dead-serious look on his face conquered her.

Sakuno let Ryoma guide her back to the guest room. She couldn't help admitting that it was a relief to have his strong arm supporting her, when her body was so weak. But on the other hand, she felt horribly guilty. What would Fuji say, if he knew?

Ryoma, on the other hand, was vexed that she didn't take care of herself properly, and more vexed that she wanted to leave his place even when she was running a fever. Was his company so disagreeable, so untrustworthy?

Well, considering that he had kissed her against her will before...

Still, it wounded his pride that when most women welcomed his advances (or rather, advanced on him), Sakuno would rather refuse his help, even though it was obvious she needed it.

When she was safely tucked in bed, Ryoma found a towel on the floor and frowned. Sakuno must have let it fall off the bed when she awakened.

He quickly got another towel, rinsed it in cold water, and pressed it firmly on Sakuno's forehead.

"Now sleep." he commanded. "If I catch you out of bed again, I'll lock you in. And don't even think I'm kidding."

Sakuno didn't bother to argue. The coolness on her forehead and the softness of the pillows and blankets were so soothing that she simply closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

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This time when she awoke, an anxious voice greeted her.

"Sakuno! How're you feeling?"

"To--Tomo-chan?"

"Ryoma-sama phoned me last night and said you were staying over. I got worried and came over this morning to see what I can do."

"Thank you." Sakuno was touched by her friend's concern. "I'm all right, really."

"We'll let the doctor decide that." Tomoka said severely. "Ryoma-sama arranged for him to arrive in the afternoon."

"Doctor?" Sakuno bolted up, disarraying the blankets. "Honestly, there's no need...on my account..."

Her hoarse voice indicated otherwise.

Tomoka narrowed her eyes and got ready for a motherly lecture.

"Now listen."

But before Tomoka could deliver her speech, the door opened. Ryoma strode in, looking drop-dead gorgeous as usual. He barely acknowledged Tomoka's "Ryoma-sama!" since his eyes went straight to Sakuno. He frowned when he noticed that she had one foot out of the bed, like she was preparing to leave.

"Lie back."

Sakuno resented his tone. She wasn't his servant.

"I--apologize for taking advantage of your hostibility," she said in a low voice, as her throat hurt. "But I really should go--"

"Sakuno!" Tomoka protested. "Exams are over, Ryoma-sama has promised you to help the orphanage--what more do you have to worry about? Why can't you take a break?"

"I have an appointment with a landlord today--"

"Then cancel it! Or let me go! I'm your friend, you can trust me!"

"What landlord?" Ryoma said.

Tomoka briefly explained that since Ann was moving out, and herself planned to live with her boyfriend, Sakuno had to look for a new place to live.

"The landlord said if I don't make a decison by three days, he will give the place to someone else." Sakuno said. "And it's the cheapest one on my list; I really want to see it."

"Then let me go!" Tomoka said. "You need rest and relaxation!"

Ryoma looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps," he said slowly. ", I have the ideal place for you."

Sakuno could have fainted for a second time, so shocked she was. Did Ryoma really suggest that his place would be ideal for her?

"My American friend, Courtney, is looking for a flatmate. She lives just a couple of blocks from here."

"American friend?" Tomoka echoed. "Why, Sakuno, that would be perfect! Didn't you fail the TOEFL last time? Now you can have someone to practice with!"

Ryoma nodded. "Her place is bigger than mine." Seeing an alarmed look cross Sakuno's face, he quickly added, "but she only needs company, so don't worry about the rent."

Sakuno was speechless. From all aspects, it was a perfect solution to her house-hunting troubles. A flatmate who seemed nice enough, who'd help her with her English, and...if her place was as grand as Ryoma's...

It seemed that Santa Claus had suddenly dumped an early Christmas present on her doorstep. A really big, generous present too.

"Now that's settled," Ryoma said in his matter-of-fact tone. ", lie back."

"I--"

"By the way, I went to the orphanage this morning and made sure they had a full breakfast. My agent also arranged that the press run a story around Christmas."

"Ryoma-kun--"

"If you want to thank me, then get well."

He left the room.

As soon as the door was closed, Tomoka let out a sigh.

"Isn't he _gorgeous_? Oh Sakuno, too bad you've already accepted Fuji-senpai. I mean, Fuji-senpai is great, but he just _pales_ in comparison to Ryoma-sama!"

Sakuno preferred not to respond.

Tomoka chattered on for a while, mostly extolling the virtues of Echizen Ryoma and his apartment, until a call from her boyfriend brought her out of the room.

Truth be told, Sakuno was rather glad to be left alone for that moment. Hearing Tomoka praise Ryoma excessively only made her feel annoyed, though she didn't know why.

He wasn't that wonderful! He hung up on her first request for help, he kissed her by force, and he practically _made_ her stay in his apartment!

Well, yeah, and he treated her to Cesario's, saved her in the music festival, saw her home, visited the orphanage, and had the doctor for her...

"I hate him." Sakuno whispered.

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A/N: SORRY for this late, late update! I don't know why, but I got seriously blocked. Of course, being busy is another factor, but I believe that when you really are bent on doing something, you can always find time for it. Anyway, I hope this chapter is all right--I've done my best.

Will continue writing, though cannot promise timely updating. But I really, really want to finish this story, as I already have mapped out the ending. How to get to it is the question.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Sakuno made a rapid recovery.

Hardly surprising, considering that Ryoma had the best medical service in Japan for her. Also, since she wanted to leave Ryoma's place as soon as possible, the only way was to get better. After all, Ryoma's excuse for keeping her was that she was ill. If she recovered, then there was no reason for her not to go home.

Nevertheless, Sakuno had to appreciate her temporary ward. A patient couldn't have asked for a better environment. The guest room was a bower of luxury itself, with the adequate heating and fine furniture. Upon the doctor's advice that she be well-fed, Ryoma ordered a vast supply of vegetables and meat and fruit, plus hiring a temporary housekeeper, on the recommendation of his agent. Matt had said that he was incapable of looking after a sick person, when he couldn't even take care of his own diet.

Sakuno was embarrassed by the assistance she received, but she accepted it reluctantly, as the sooner she recovered, the sooner she could leave.

_Because I don't want to trouble Ryoma-kun_, Sakuno told herself firmly. _He has done enough for me. He doesn't need a sick, helpless, pathetic person in his apartment_.

Yet deep down inside, she knew that this was only a partial reason.

Every time he strode into her room, with that steadfast look in his eyes, it seemed much harder to breathe.

And when he asked, "How're you feeling?" in that deep, masculine voice, she would stutter, like the flow of time had overturned, and she became the timd, shy little girl whose crush on Echizen Ryoma was so painfully obvious that everyone knew except him.

It was stupid of her, really. He hadn't done anything scandalous. Of course, it was kind of improper for her to be staying at his place, but the doctor had advised that she best not be moved. A cold may not seem fatal, but there are people who died from a cold gone worse.

And Ryoma never came near. He maintained a reasonable distance between them when he talked, and he didn't even talk much.

He didn't need to.

It was enough to disturb Sakuno's equilibrium.

And so, she must go.

Even if she didn't really want to.

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One night, just after the nurse brought her dinner, Sakuno's cell phone began ringing.

"Hello? Syusuke!"

"Sakuno-chan." Fuji's voice was warm and pleasant. "Are you all right? Your voice sounds a little hoarse."

"Oh--just a little cold. Don't worry." She was almost well by now. "How are you? Are you having a good time?"

"Definitely. The weather is much better here, and everything is so relaxing. Wish that you could be here too."

Sakuno blushed. "Uh--right. Me too."

"So what are you doing for Christmas?"

"Eh?" To tell the truth, she had completely forgotten about it, so busy she was.

"Don't tell me you're going to spend the day with another man?"

His voice was teasing, but Sakuno cringed. What would he say if he knew she was in Ryoma's apartment right now?

"I haven't made any plans." Sakuno said, trying to stay calm. "I--I've been busy. And I'm sure Tomo-chan and Ann want to spend Christmas with their boyfriends. So I guess it'll be just Ryo-chan and me."

"I see." Fuji sounded amused. "Ah--I have to go now, nee-san is calling."

"Okay. Enjoy the rest of your trip!"

"Bye, Sakuno-chan. I love you."

Sakuno went scarlet at his last sentence. It was the first time he said those three words on a phone.

"Lo--love you too, Syusuke." she tried to say as naturally as possible, and clicked off the phone quickly.

Staring at the wall, Sakuno felt utterly wretched.

She must leave this place.

As soon as possible.

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On the day the doctor proclaimed her as fit as a bell, Sakuno immediately started packing. It didn't take long; Tomoka had brought some clothes, but Ryoma had provided most things necessary, so there were very few things that she actually had to take along.

She looked around the guest room. It was the first time she was pampered in such luxury, and perhaps the last time as well?

Sakuno gave herself a mental shake. She would NOT miss this place. Especially not the low sofa where Ryoma used to perch...

Baka Sakuno.

After making sure she had taken all her stuff, Sakuno went out. When she passed Ryoma's door, she wondered if he were inside. She should thank him. No matter what, he had done A LOT for her.

First, he saved the orphanage. Second, he provided excellent medical care for her. Third, he found her a new place to live.

Anything more, and she'd have to kneel down and hail him her benefactor.

She raised her hand to knock, but before she could do so, the door opened.

Mrs. Tanaka, the nurse, emerged from the room, plump and rosy and smiling. In one hand she carried a broom, in the other, a plastic bag full of empty Ponta cans.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Mrs. Tanaka said quickly. "Anything you need?"

"No, I'm fine. Is Ryoma-kun in?"

"He left an hour ago, to prepare for some interview at an orphanage." Mrs. Tanaka said.

Sakuno was somewhat relieved to hear that. She didn't feel like saying goodbye to Ryoma, not now anyway.

"The doctor told me I'm fully recovered, so I must be going home now."

"You're going?" Mrs. Tanaka said, surprised. "So soon, my dear. Are you sure you don't need more rest?"

"I'm fine." Sakuno smiled. "Thank you for all the care you've given me these days."

Mrs. Tanaka was real sorry to see Sakuno leave, though she expressed her gladness at seeing her fully recovered.

"Since you're well now, I guess I won't be here long either." she said. "Though I wonder who will take care of this young man here. I know his career is important, but couldn't he take a break sometime? He needs someone to see to his meals at least. Make bentos or something. Ponta isn't the only beverage on Earth, you know?"

Sakuno remembered the time when she shared her bento with Ryoma. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory.

But all she said was, "When Ryoma-kun comes back, please let him know that I've gone home, and tell him that I'm really grateful for what he has done."

"I sure will." Mrs. Tanaka smiled. "Even if he leads a hectic life, I can see that he is extremely concerned about you. Don't let this chance slip by, my dear."

She winked, and Sakuno felt heat rise in her face. Karupin junior, who happened to pad by, stopped at her feet and rubbed his face against her ankles, as though seconding Mrs. Tanaka's words.

For the umpteenth time, her mind screamed for her to leave.

Sakuno fled.

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Sakuno was welcomed home by open arms. Although it seemed like stepping into another world, after being totally pampered at Ryoma's place, she felt much more at ease.

Ann made a large, steaming pot of Russian cabbage soup, and Tomoka baked her favourite cookies. Ryo-chan leaped into her lap once she sat down, and purred contentedly.

"Here's to Sakuno's full recovery!" Ann said, raising her glass.

"It must be hard to adjust to our humble dwelling, after living at Ryoma-sama's place." Tomoka said teasingly.

Sakuno flushed, which did not escape Ann's eye. However, she did not say anything that might embarrass Sakuno further.

"So what do you plan to do tomorrow, Sakuno?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes! Don't tell us you've forgotten it's Christmas tomorrow!" Tomoka exclaimed.

"I didn't." Sakuno remembered Fuji's call.

"Well, if you don't have any plans, Momoshiro and I are going to a party. You're welcome to join us." Ann said.

"Or you can come with me and Suzuki!" Tomoka said. "Don't worry; we'll definitely make sure you have a good time!"

Sakuno smiled and shook her head. As she expected, her friends were going out with their boyfriends. Christmas should be a perfect romantic experience for couples. It wouldn't do if she were to butt in.

"Thank you, but I'm fine," she said, and picked up Ryo-chan. "Someone should stay behind and keep Ryo-chan company, anyway."

"But Sakuno..." Tomoka began.

"I insist." Sakuno said firmly. "Really, I don't mind being alone."

Tomoka wanted to argue further, but Ann stopped her. It might not be a bad idea, as Sakuno had just recovered from a fever. She should rest as much as she could.

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Still, when the next day arrived, Sakuno couldn't hope feeling a little down as she saw Ann and Tomoka out the door, both of them dressed to the nines.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Tomoka said anxiously.

"I'm sure." Sakuno smiled.

In the living room, Sakuno turned on the heater, got some blankets from her room, and proceeded to watch a movie with a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

_I'm fine_, she thought. _It's so nice and cozy inside, just me and Ryo-chan_.

The movie was a romantic comedy, recommended heartily by Tomoka. Sakuno laughed several times, but in the end, when everyone "lived happily ever after," a mixed feeling of sadness and helplessness engulfed her.

Everything works out so neatly in the movie.

So different from real life.

A tear leaked from her eye, and cruised down her cheek.

Why was she being so stupid? True, she may have endured some hardships before, but everything was solved now! She had found a new place to live in, a new flatmate who'd help her with her English, a boyfriend who treated her like a princess, and probably with some more hard work and luck, Julliard would no longer be a fantasy.

What more could she ask for?

_You should be ashamed of yourself_, she told herself. _Look at the poor orphans who'd be grateful to have a roof over their heads._

Sakuno wiped her cheek fiercely with a swipe of her hand.

At that moment, Ryo-chan started meowing. He always did that when he was hungry.

Sakuno realized it was lunchtime. Her own stomach was growling as well.

"Okay, Ryo-chan. Let's go get something to eat."

However, when Sakuno took out the bag of cat treats, she discovered it was almost empty. There was hardly enough for a full saucer.

I have to get more supplies, or Ryo-chan won't have any dinner tonight.

Pulling on her coat and scarf, Sakuno went out.

The icy wind blew against her head, and she chided herself for not bringing a hat.

The streets were lined with trees laden with colourful light bulbs which twinkled and winked, giving a truly festive air. The sidewalk was crowded with people laughing and talking, mostly families and couples and groups of friends.

Even though Sakuno had insisted that her friends go out without her, she couldn't help feeling a little lonely, especially when she appeared to be the only one walking alone on the street.

Some people glanced at her with pitying looks, as though they felt sorry for her--a girl who has no friends or family to spend Christmas with.

It wasn't like that! Sakuno wanted to scream at them. It was her own choice--she could have gone out with Tomoka or Ann, and were not Fuji in Hawaii, it was likely they would've been together.

Sakuno quickened her pace.

"Sakuno?"

To her surprise, Tae and Tsubame were standing behind her.

"Tae? Tsubame-chan?"

"Oh Sakuno, how are you?" Tae said. "I haven't a chance to thank you for convincing Echizen Ryoma--Ann told me you fell ill."

"Yes, but I'm well now." Sakuno glanced at their shopping bags. "What are you doing here, Tae?"

"Getting some baking materials." Tae said. "We're having a feast for Christmas at the orphanage! Now that Echizen Ryoma has made some renovations--including the kitchen--we have to make the best of it, especially on the holidays!"

"That sounds great." Sakuno smiled.

"And what are you doing, Sakuno? Who're you going out with for Christmas?"

When Tae learned that Sakuno was staying home, alone, she immediately insisted that Sakuno come along with them.

Sakuno tried to protest, saying that she didn't mind, but Tae remained obstinate.

"Unthinkable!" Tae declared. "No one should be lonely on Christmas day! Especially not a nice girl like you! And I heard your baking skills are exceptional, so don't deprive us the chance to sample your cooking!"

"Tae..."

"Please, Sakuno nee-san," Tsubame spoke up shyly.

Under the influence of Tae's indignant expression and Tsubame's sweet, hopeful face, Sakuno gave in. Plus, she _did_ feel rather lonely walking down the street.

After going home, depositing her purchases, having a quick lunch, and making sure that Ryo-chan had a full saucer of milk and cat-treats, Sakuno headed to the orphanage.

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A gust of wind blew over her, and she shivered. With a sigh, Sakuno entered the orphanage. Inside, she noted the run-down furniture and cracked walls. So this is how it was, to be living at a place in danger of closing down.

However, when she reached the communal area, where the children ran about and played, she found that the tables and chairs were new, and the walls have been repainted. Ryoma's doings, possibly.

Moreover, a huge Christmas tree had been erected in the centre. Colourful lights gleamed from the branches, as well as golden balls, tinsel, and other ornaments.

"Sakuno!" Tae, wearing an apron and holding a measuring spoon, suddenly appeared. "Over here!"

Tsubame was beside her, smiling.

For the moment, Sakuno forgot all her worries about seeing Ryoma, and hurried over to her friends.

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Sakuno had a better time than she expected.

Cooking was something she loved and excelled in, though only as a hobby. Teaching the kids how to bake cookies was fun, especially when she saw their excited faces and listened to their eager voices.

Yahiko, Tsubame's friend, was having a quarrel with another child, Yutaro.

"It's my turn to stir now! You had your turn breaking the eggs!"

"Aw...shut up, Yahiko-chan! You'd mess up the mix so badly that no one can eat it!"

"Don't call me Yahiko-chan!"

Tae settled the conflict, by telling the two hot-headed kids to take turns, while Tsubame giggled.

A little girl tugged on Sakuno's sleeve.

"Sakuno nee-san, what is a cookie?"

"Eh? You have never tasted a cookie before?"

The little girl, who looked to be around Yuzuyu's age but much thinner, shook her head.

"You poor thing." Sakuno patted her head. "Do you know what chocolate is, Ayame-chan?"

Ayame tilted her head and thought hard.

"Un! My sister once got a piece from a stranger. It is so delicious!"

Sakuno smiled. She reached for a jar of chocolate chips, and let Ayame have some. When Yahiko and Yutaro finished stirring the cookie mix, Sakuno showed Ayame and the rest of the kids how to mold the dough into various shapes and of course, roll in the chocolate chips.

Soon the cookie dough was used up. Sakuno and Tae put the baking trays in the oven, and set the heat and time.

"When will the cookies be ready?" a kid whined.

"In a moment, dear." Tae said. She glanced at the window. "Why don't you all go outside and play? The snowing has stopped; you can have a grand time making snowmen and snowballs! And we'll call you in once the cookies are ready, fresh and hot from the oven!"

Tae's suggestion was greeted with shouts of glee. Within seconds, the kids dashed outside, without bothering to wash off the flour on their hands and faces.

Sakuno, who had become quite popular among the children, was dragged along as well.

"Just go, Sakuno," Tae laughed. "I'll take care of the kitchen, it won't take long."

At first, Sakuno stayed with Ayame and some of the little girls. They made several chubby snowmen with stones for eyes and twigs for arms. Sakuno taught them how to play Tic-Tac-Toe, using a branch to draw on the ground.

Then Yahiko and the bigger kids wanted a game of snowball fighting.

Sakuno, who hadn't had a snowball fight for years, joined without hesitation. It reminded her of her childhood, at her parents' house. Both of her parents had passed away, leaving her in the care of her grandmother. To this day, Sakuno was eager to do anything to remember the times when they were still alive.

Plus, Yahiko was excellent at taunting people.

"Come get me, ugly hag!" Yahiko stuck out his tongue at her, and ran off.

"You asked for it!"

Sakuno made a huge snowball and threw it towards Yahiko. Her aim was poor; Sakuno's coordination was never good, except where the piano was concerned.

Yahiko easily dodged the flying attack, and made a dreadful face. "Ha! I just knew you can't hit me in a thousa--"

Thunk.

Uh-oh.

Time seemed to have froze for a moment, as Sakuno and the children beheld Echizen Ryoma standing behind them, a splattered snowball on his face.

"Ryo--Ryoma-kun?"

Calmly, Ryoma wiped the wet snow from his face.

"Tae said the cookies are ready." he announced, as though nothing happened.

"Yay!"

At the sound of cookies, the children rushed inside, whooping in delight. Which left both of them standing outside together.

"Er--" Part of her wanted to stay, but the other--the rational part--told her to run. "--I'm sorry. I didn't realize you are coming today."

Sakuno made a little bow, and turned around to leave.

"Baka."

She paused in surprise. _Baka?_

"I told you I scheduled my interview around Christmas."

"I know, but--"

Sure, he told her he'd come around Christmas, but she never dreamed that he'd choose Christmas day, the day he should be with his friends or family, to visit the orphanage.

"So why are you here?"

Sakuno nodded. She gave an account of her running into Tae and Tsubame, as though trying to prove that she didn't come to see _him_, that she wasn't throwing herself in his way on purpose.

Ryoma, however, did not seem much interested. He was gazing at her intently--the earnest, steadfast gaze that always unsettled her--and Sakuno, becoming aware of his staring at her, blushed and stuttered. She looked so pretty in the snow, her eyes bright and sparkling, and her cheeks bathed in a rose-pink hue.

This girl must have bewitched him. As cliche as it sounds, he had never felt the same way for anyone before. When she left his apartment, he had come to realize how badly he needed her. He wanted her with him--to brighten the days with her smile, to taste her cooking, to share all his troubles and joys with her.

He opened his mouth, to speak of something that he wouldn't use between mere friends--

--when a woman emerged from the building, carrying a camera.

"Ryoma-sama!" she called. "Please get ready; the interview starts in twenty minutes!"

The way she said "Ryoma-sama" sounded a bell in Sakuno's head.

"Shiba-san!" she exclaimed without thinking.

"Eh?" The woman looked around, and fixed an inquiring gaze on Sakuno. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Sakuno gave her name, and the woman gasped.

"Ryuzaki Sumire's granddaughter! Oh my god, you have grown so much, I didn't recognize you!"

"It has been eight years." Sakuno said, smiling.

"Eight years!" Shiba repeated. "God, that makes me feel so old!"

They chatted for a while, until Shiba exclaimed that she must go.

Sakuno looked around, and saw that Ryoma had gone.

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That night was one Sakuno would never forget.

Shiba did a wonderful interview. There were Christmas presents for the kids, as Ryoma had seen to it, and it brought tears to her eyes when she saw the scrawny kids hug their new teddy bears or dolls, whatever they received.

Moreover, when Ryoma presented the new owner with a cheque worth of 1 million yen, some of the staff started crying. The children needn't be turned out into the streets now.

When she finally had to go home, Tae clutched her arm and whispered, "Thank you, Sakuno, for what you have done! God bless you, my dear."

Outside, snow was falling thick and fast. It was much colder now. Sakuno sneezed.

A warm, woolen coat settled round her shoulders.

Sakuno looked up--and found herself staring into Ryoma's eyes.

"Wear it."

He didn't even give her a chance to protest.

"But--"

"How are you going home?" he interrupted.

"The bus." What else?

"Your boyfriend isn't picking you up?" There was a tightness in his tone.

"He's in Hawaii."

Ryoma looked ahead. The sidewalk was already covered with a thin layer of snow.

"Come." he said abruptly.

"Huh?"

"I'm giving you a ride home. No buts," just as she opened her mouth. ", you're gonna catch cold if you stay out any longer."

Just as he finished, his limo pulled up beside them. The door opened automatically; Ryoma grabbed Sakuno's arm, pushed her in, and got inside himself.

All of this happened within five seconds.

By the time Sakuno realized what happened, the limo was already speeding on the streets.

There was nothing she could do except to send him a death glare across the seat. But he was lying back on the cushions with his eyes half-closed, so she couldn't tell if he saw it.

Vexed, Sakuno also sat back with a thud.

Why is he making this so hard for her?

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"Road is blocked, sir."

The limo had suddenly come to a halt.

In front of them, lights were flashing. It appeared that there was a car accident.

"Then turn around and take another fork." Ryoma said.

"Uh--no, it's okay." Sakuno grabbed her bag. She made sure to leave the coat Ryoma gave her on the limo. "My flat is only several blocks away."

She was barely out of the limo, when Ryoma caught up with her.

"I'm walking you back."

It wasn't a request, he simply stated it like some unquestionable fact.

Why was she letting him do this and that? Why did she have to give in every time? Moreover, why did she resent him helping her?

Sakuno whirled around and faced him.

"Stop. Bothering. Me."

Ryoma blinked. Her expression was dead-serious.

"Ryuzaki..."

"I mean, why are you doing so much for me? I didn't ask you to have the doctor for me. I didn't ask you to find an apartment for me. And I didn't ask you to walk me home! The only thing I asked you is to help the orphanage, but it cost me so much effort to get you agree!"

She glared at him fiercely. Ryoma was taken aback--did she really hate him that much?

"I apologize---regarding the orphanage." he said quietly. "I should have never refused you. Today when I saw those children, I realized how privileged I am. Even if you don't ask me now, I intend to assist them continuously."

Hearing him use that contrite, remorseful tone, Sakuno softened.

"As for my helping you--" he gazed directly into her eyes. "--I thought it should be obvious."

Echizen Ryoma--in love with her?

Impossible.

What other explanation could there be for his actions?

Ryoma stepped forward and cupped her face. Seeing that she did not scream and slap him, he grew bolder. Slowly, he brought his lips to hers.

This time, his kiss was tender, gentle, affectionate.

For a moment, Sakuno felt nothing but a giddy, sweet sensation, as though she was tumbling into a bed of cotton candy.

Years ago, she had this huge, unreciprocated crush on him. Now, the prince of her dreams had fallen for her--though when, how, and where she couldn't tell.

_Kami-sama, what should I do?_

To accept him was unthinkable. She had to admit she was attracted to him, but she couldn't picture a future with Echizen Ryoma, renowned Tennis-World-Champion-And-Lady-Killer. He might like her now, but with countless girls more beautiful and clever than her out there, Sakuno was sure that one day he'd be tired of her.

And no way did she want to break Fuji-senpai's heart. He had never been anything but kind and considerate towards her.

She pushed him away.

"I'm sorry, Ryoma-kun." Her knees were shaking. "I--I can't. Please forgive me."

She turned and left, feeling that this was the worst Christmas ever.

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Fuji emerged from the bathroom. He was in a very good mood, having had a relaxing swim, a sumptuous meal, and an enjoyable time with his niece and brother.

The shower in the hotel was quite refreshing, Fuji noted. If they come to Hawaii next time, he'd definitely choose the same place again. Maybe even bring Sakuno on a honeymoon, should his wishes come true?

Yuuta was perched on the bed, watching television.

"Yuuta. It's your turn." Fuji said, while drying his hair with a towel.

"In a minute," Yuuta said, and suddenly sat up straight. "Aniki! Look, isn't that Echizen Ryoma?"

Fuji looked accordingly. There was no mistaking the famous tennis star/former kouhai on the screen.

"Echizen Ryoma, Japan's most celebrated tennis player and currently world champion, has chosen to dedicate this day of festive cheer to an orphanage, which, without his attention, might have been forced to close down..."

The Fuji brothers watched Ryoma bend down and hand a wrapped gift to a small girl who looked just as cute as Yuzuyu.

_That was decent of you, Echizen_. Fuji nodded in approval. _Didn't know that you'd find the time for a bout of charity._

A second later, Fuji's smile froze.

Yuuta's mouth fell open.

In the background, a young woman with cinnamon eyes was standing with Tae--both of them radiant and smiling as they watched the children receive presents.

"Sakuno-chan?"

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A/N: Phew, another chapter done! I have to admit this story no longer excites me as it used to, but I really want to finish it--I hate the incomplete-ness. And as I've said, I have the ending in mind, and I want to get to it.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated. They help to keep me going : )


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Lots of FujiSaku fluff. You've been warned!

Chapter Eleven

Sakuno waited at the airport for Fuji to arrive. She rubbed her hands together, not only to keep them warm, but also to stay calm. That Christmas night, when Ryoma kissed her for a second time, kept popping up in her head, and Sakuno was anxious to banish it to the ends of the earth.

"I'm so sorry, Syusuke," she whispered. And she truly meant it. She should have resisted, she should have yelled and sued Ryoma for sexual harrassment, but she didn't! What a bad girlfriend she had been.

At the arrival section in the airport, more and more passengers appeared, signifying a new flight had just arrived. Sakuno strained her eyes, searching for Fuji, and at last, she spotted him, walking beside Yuuta.

"Syusuke!"

Sakuno wove her way through the crowd, and reached him. Impulsively, she did something she never did before--she threw her arms round his neck.

"I'm so glad to see you!"

Yuuta immediately backed off, though he was a little shocked. Who'd know that Sakuno, who was usually modest and shy, would display her affection in public? It must be under the influence of his brother. Yuuta shook his head; it seemed there was nothing that his aniki cannot do.

For a moment--Sakuno felt Fuji stiffen--perhaps too surprised? No wonder--she seldom touched him voluntarily, it was always the other way round.

Then he gave a low chuckle, gently pried her arms from him, and said teasingly:

"I never thought you'd miss me that much, Sakuno-chan."

Sakuno blushed; he was staring at her closely. "Well...it has been some time. Of course I'd miss you."

"Indeed." He smiled, though Sakuno felt that he wasn't too happy. What was wrong? Wasn't it natural that she should miss her boyfriend?

Just at that moment, Yuzuyu happened to rush up and give Sakuno a tight hug. All their attention was turned to the child, and soon Yumiko, her husband, Yuuta, and the Fuji parents came. In the presence of his family, Fuji seemed to relax and became his normal self.

Sakuno prayed that what she just saw--the way Fuji seemed to regard her suspiciously--was only temporary.

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"Omigod!" Tomoka squealed. "This place is huge! How I envy you, Sakuno!"

Sakuno came out of the kitchen, carrying a tray of tea and cakes. Settling down before a table enough for six people, she poured out hot tea.

It has been three days since she moved in Courtney's flat, but still, she couldn't get used to how spacious and comfy the place was.

Originally, she had thought about moving to another place, since her relationship with Ryoma was now completely off. But one day Courtney rang up their apartment, and she spoke so fast that Ann, who could speak decent English, offered to take the phone. In the end, somehow, all Sakuno knew was that Courtney wanted her to move in as soon as possible.

"You can stay over anytime." Sakuno offered. "There are two guest rooms."

"_Two?_ That's impossible! Here in Tokyo!"

Sakuno smiled. She was truly fortunate to live with Courtney. In the beginning, they could barely understand each other, as Courtney's Japanese was just as bad as Sakuno's English. Gradually, they learned to understand each other by speech patterns, hand gestures, and a Japanese-English dictionary. Though they never became intimate friends, due to the insurmountable culture barrier, they did get along very well.

The girls chatted for a while, though it was mostly Tomoka doing the talking, as she kept gushing with admiration for Courtney's flat and all the interesting American stuff she brought.

The doorbell rang. Sakuno went to the door, a little puzzled. Courtney had just left for a date with Kevin an hour ago. Had she forgotten something?

"SAKUNO!" Nodame burst in the room. "Nodame has missed you so much!"

Sakuno was almost knocked over by Nodame's fierce hug. Suddenly she understood why Chiaki sometimes looked scared when Nodame greeted him.

"What's that thing?" Tomoka said.

"Oh!" Nodame was clutching a large, white, rolled-up piece of paper. Now she unfurled it with lightning speed and before Sakuno's eyes, a huge poster appeared."Annual piano competition..." Tomoka read. "...with 100,000 U.S. dollars for the winner!"

Sakuno's eyes could have popped out. This was by far the largest amount she'd ever seen for prize money in piano contests. It would cover tuition, living expenses, the plane ticket, provided she watch her budget carefully.

"Just came out today!" Nodame said excitedly. "When I saw this, I felt I MUST come and tell you, Sakuno! You will enter, won't you?"

"I--but how about you? Don't you want to go to Europe with Chiaki-senpai?" For Chiaki was to leave next year to further his studies in Europe.

"Of course Nodame wants to, but this competition is only for people going to America! And in any case, Nodame believes that Sakuno should go for it!"

"So right!" Tomoka nodded fervently. "We all know that you want to go to Julliard! Once you win this prize, your dream will come true!"

"You guys," Sakuno gave a weak smile. ", you make it sound like I'm going to win for sure. We don't even know how many--"

"Oh, but Sakuno will win!" Nodame said.

"Yeah!" Tomoka echoed. "And now you're living with that American girl, you'll be certain to pass your TOEFL exam!"

Sakuno took the poster.

"Thank you." Her eyes glistened. "I will do my best to win the prize."

"That's the spirit!" Tomoka exclaimed.

"Everything works out so well!" Nodame clasped her hands. "Nodame will go to Europe with Chiaki-senpai, and Sakuno will go to America with Echizen Ryoma!"

Sakuno dropped the poster.

"Nodame!" Tomoka hissed. "Don't you know Sakuno already has a boyfriend? Fuji Syusuke, the medical student who also took part in the All Japan Collegiate Tennis Tournament?"

"But..." Nodame twisted her fingers. "...but Sakuno is destined to be with Echizen Ryoma."

"Hah?" Tomoka was nonplussed. "How do you know?"

"Intuition!" Nodame said gleefully. "And besides, Mrs. Fuji Sakuno just sounds weird, doesn't it?"

Tomoka shook her head. Nodame was known to be ditzy, or even crazy, in school, so she didn't really take her words seriously.

"Eh? Sakuno, where are you?"

"Here!" Sakuno straightened up, a cloth in hand. "Some--er--cookie crumbs dropped on the floor."

If Tomoka or Nodame paid attention, they would have seen that the cloth was perfectly spotless, but as both of them didn't have the ever-observant eye of Sherlock Holmes, they proceeded to talk, like how Ryoma has virtually no opponent now in the tennis world, and why he remains obnoxiously single, when Sakuno and Fuji will get married...

For the first time in her life, Sakuno was relieved when her two best friends left. She wondered how much longer she could endure this emotional strain.

Then her eye fell on the poster Nodame brought, and a new hope sprung within.

Right. Now she should focus on her dream, which she always had since childhood, and not let silly romantic notions disrupt her.

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For the next couple of weeks, Sakuno threw herself into practicing. With the suggestions of Professor Goda, she completed her repertoire for the piano competition, though it was still a few months away. The reasons were simple: practice makes perfection, time was limited due to school and her part-time job and studying TOEFL, having a goal kept her too busy to worry about her personal life.

So far, everything seemed to progress smoothly. Courtney provided immense help with her English, and the proximity of her new apartment to school greatly lessened the hassle of commuting. Ryoma was in some other country, competing, so she didn't see him at all, as long as she kept her gaze averted from the sports section in the paper.

Fuji, on the other hand, seemed a little different since she saw him at the airport. There was a certain reservedness in his attitude, a queer strainfulness in his smile, a slight hesitation sometimes when he touched her. These differences were not evident, but Sakuno, having become used to his unadulterated affection, sensed these minor changes now and then.

Had his affections altered? Had he grown tired of her? Had he found another?

Sakuno didn't know. She never understood Fuji; few people did, perhaps with the exception of his family. And since he never said anything, Sakuno didn't feel like asking.

However, she did know, self-deploringly, that she preferred this "slightly-dimmed" version of Fuji. Before, she always felt burdened because he displayed such whole-hearted devotion. Now, she felt a little less guilty.

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Applause rang out in the elegant bar room. Sakuno, flushed with pleasure, stood up and made a polite bow to the audience. Because of her excellent piano-playing and her lovely face (though the hotel manager would never admit that as a reason), her salary had increased by 20 percent.

When she gathered her music books and prepared to leave, a man walked over to her. He seemed to be at least forty, wore glasses, and an expensive gold watch glittered on his wrist.

"Your performance was simply charming," he said with a smile. "May I know your name?"

"Uh--Ryuzaki desu." Sakuno didn't like the way he looked at her.

"Ryuzaki. My name is Kyouhei. As I've said, your piano-playing is a feast for the ears. Here, please accept this little gift as a token of my admiration for you."

He held out an envelope. Sakuno could see the tip of a bill protruding from it.

"Thank you, sir, but I'm afraid I cannot accept your generosity. It is not customary here to tip."

Kyouhei frowned at her declination, but seeing that Sakuno was adamant, he gave a short laugh and pocketed the money.

"Very well. Then let me buy you a drink."

"I'm sorry, but I really must get home. It has been a long day. Good night." Not to mention that she'd rather jump out of the window, than have a drink with him. Sakuno gave him a quick bow and walked away, in case he'd offer her a ride like Ryoma did.

Kyouhei watched her leave. An angry look flashed through his eyes briefly.

"No one gives me the cold shoulder, Ryuzaki." he muttered, his voice low but steely. "And in case you don't know--I always get what I want."

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Fuji drove along the street. He had to pick up some stuff for Yumiko, and then pick up Sakuno for her piano lesson with Yuzuyu.

Sakuno.

He loved her.

It wasn't love-at-first-sight. When he first saw her at Seigaku, he merely thought of her as a cute little kouhai, so different from her grandmother. Besides, when Ryoma arrived, everyone automatically linked their names together. Fuji had been amused, too.

However, after Ryoma left for America, things began to change. Sakuno had grown taller, she wore her hair loose and flowing, and carried herself as a charming, refined young lady. And ever since he discovered her playing the piano, that image of her--angelic and serene--was permanently etched in his mind. Fuji, being an amateur photographer, was sensitive to beauty, and Sakuno particularly appealed to his senses. Not to mention that she was sweet, kind-hearted, modest, and immune to the pettiness and jealousy normally found in women. Of course, she was not flawless--she was shy, klutzy, and not very bright, especially when it came to directions. But nevertheless a very attractive person.

When she agreed to be his girlfriend, it seemed like heaven opened a window for him. He knew that she didn't love him--she regarded him with admiration and gratitude--but he cherished the hope that she would someday. They have known each other so long, it must take some time for her to cease seeing him as an older brother. He didn't fall in love with her immediately, either.

He could accept that she didn't love him more than a friend--yet. But he couldn't accept that she lied to him about her Christmas plans. She told him that she wasn't going anywhere, yet he saw her on TV with Ryoma, her old crush.

Imperfection he could accept, infidelity, not.

He wondered what he should do. He didn't think Sakuno was two-timing him; he was sure she was incapable of such malice. But why didn't she tell him she was going to be with Ryoma for Christmas?

He reached the supermarket, parked the car, and went out. While he searched for the baking supplies Yumiko asked him to buy, a woman suddenly hailed his name.

"Oh! Aren't you Fuji-san, Sakuno's boyfriend?"

Fuji turned, surprised.

"Tae-san?"

"Hai. How's it going, Fuji-san? All's well, I hope? And how's Sakuno?"

"Everything's fine." Fuji put on his smiling mask.

"Good." Tae also smiled, though hers was sincere. "I suppose you're shopping for baking supplies for Sakuno?"

"Oh. Yeah." Well, it was Yumiko who asked him, but Sakuno was also going to help.

"You are a lucky man, Fuji-san. Sakuno is really a good cook. Last Christmas she helped me bake cookies for the kids at an orphanage, you know?"

Oh yes, he knew. Though not from Sakuno herself.

Tae rattled on, being in a good mood. "It was kind of surprising, at first, because I thought she would be with Ann or some friend. But when I ran into her in the store on Christmas day, well, I just had to ask her to come along with me."Fuji opened his eyes. "You mean--_you_ invited Sakuno?"

"But of course." Tae also opened her eyes. "Is there anything wrong with that? I merely thought a nice girl like her shouldn't be spending Christmas alone. Not that I blame you," she added quickly. ", Sakuno said you were on vacation."

Fuji shook his head. "No, it was a misunderstanding. And thank you for keeping her company, Tae-san."

He smiled again, and this time, his smile lightened up his face.

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Sakuno hurried on the street; she was late again. Her preparation for the piano competition wasn't going well lately, and Professor Goda kept her fifteen minutes longer than usual. Were it not for her lesson with Yuzuyu later, she might have to stay a full hour longer, as Goda was known to be a perfectionist.

When she spotted Fuji leaning against his car on the side of the road, Sakuno picked up her pace and ran towards him.

"So--sorry!" she gasped. "Professor Goda, he didn't let me go until I--"

Fuji stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"There, calm down, Sakuno-chan." he said soothingly, patting her head. "I love you, remember? I'm not going to be angry just because you're a little late."

Sakuno blushed, a little taken aback. It has been some time since he hugged her.

Fuji released her. Her cheeks were still as pink as a cherry blossom, her hair slightly windblown, and she was looking on the ground, her expression shy and demure. She looked so adorable, so sweet, and he happened to be feeling particularly tender towards her, which prompted further action.

Fuji turned her chin upwards and kissed her fully, right on the lips.

If Sakuno's face was pink before, it was now flaming red. He kissed her many times before, but never in a big, bustling street!

"There--there are people watching--" she murmured, embarrassed, when he finally released her.

Fuji smiled. "If you don't like it, you can come over to my place next time."

Sakuno was tongue-tied. If she agreed, then she would be admitting that she wanted to do it another time. But if she refused, then it implied that she didn't mind kissing in public.

Fuji's smile deepened. Much as he loved Sakuno, he was a sadist after all, and seeing her shy and embarrassed always amused him. But he figured that he did enough today, so he changed the subject.

"Valentine's Day is coming, you know."

"Oh!" Sakuno said. So deeply focused she was in the piano competition that she had forgotten. "I must go shopping for chocolates. What kind would you like this year?"

"Any kind, as long as they are not friendship chocolates."

Sakuno blushed again. It was a long time since she made "hon-mei" chocolates, which were reserved for a crush or boyfriend only. Ryoma was the first recipient, and back then, he didn't seem at all pleased to receive them, though she spent hours making them.

The thought of Ryoma made her heart ache.

"Of course, Syusuke." she said aloud.

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Sakuno retook the TOEFL exam and passed, much to her delight and relief. Now, if she secured the scholarship, and provided she didn't mess up her applications, she would be on her way to New York City!

Because she felt that Courtney had been instrumental to her TOEFL success, Sakuno insisted on treating the American girl to dinner. It was a little difficult to select a restaurant that would cater to Courtney's taste; traditional Japanese cuisine may not agree with her, but it would be uninteresting if they simply went for American/European food, since Courtney was already familiar with that. In the end, Sakuno decided on going to _Katsukura_, a mous restaurant that served fried pork rice, which had recently become very popular.

As it turned out, Courtney did enjoy the traditional atmosphere of the restaurant combined with modernized Japanese food. Though Sakuno had a hard time translating.

When they returned to the apartment later, both girls were surprised to see a huge bouquet of roses lying before the door. An envelope was stuck on the top: For Miss Ryuzaki Sakuno.

"Hey!" Courtney exclaimed. "Look at this pink mountain! Maybe you've got a secret admirer, Sakuno!"

"Oh come on," Sakuno laughed it off, though she was burning with curiosity. Who could it be?

Sakuno opened the envelope, and drew out a sheet of paper. A familiar whiff of cologne reached her nose, and suddenly, Sakuno had a strong sense of foreboding.

"_My dear Ryuzaki-san,_

_I was so enchanted by your performance last time that I am sending you a token of my admiration. Do not be surprised; this is merely the beginning. More will follow._

_I remain, truly yours,_

_Kyouhei."_

Sakuno dropped the letter on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Courtney said, seeing that Sakuno's face had gone white.

"I...I..." Sakuno's hand was shaking. How did Kyouhei know her address? And what was his intention of sending her roses? What did he mean by "more will follow?"

Courtney, seeing that Sakuno was really disturbed, took charge of the situation. She opened the door, dragged Sakuno inside, picked up the bouquet and letter, and shut the door. Then she got two mugs of steaming coffee, and placed one in front of Sakuno.

"Tell me what's troubling you, okay? You look so pale."

Sakuno hesitated. This was her own, personal trouble, and Courtney had already helped her so much already.

But Courtney, sensing that something _must_ be wrong, if Sakuno could have such a negative reaction to a bunch of roses, pressed her further.

Finally, Sakuno confided her worries. She showed Courtney the letter.

"You mean a man twice your age is lusting after you?" Courtney said, disgusted. "The nerve of him! Let's call the police!"

"But we need criminal evidence. This," Sakuno pointed at the letter. ", is not proof enough. The police can't mark him just because he sent me some roses."

Courtney frowned. She wasn't familiar with the Japanese custom. But she felt that something had to be done.

"At any rate, you shouldn't come home alone. Can't your boyfriend pick you up?"

"He does, on Friday and Saturday. But on Monday he has to stay in the hospital for practical training."

"Then I'll come pick you up on Mondays." Courtney said firmly. "No, I insist, honestly. For one thing, how am I to face Ryoma if anything happens to you?"

"Eh? Ryo--Ryoma-kun?"

"Yeah. He's really concerned about you. Actually, I was always wondering why you're not his girlfriend. 'Cause you know, Ryoma barely notices the opposite sex, even though girls are throwing themselves at him, like he's the only man on earth."

"I know." Sakuno said in a low voice. Of course she'd know. Ryoma had been a girl magnet since he entered Seigaku.

"But you're the only girl I've seen who can make him go crazy. You know when you came to see him, on some mission for orphans?"

Sakuno remembered. How could she not?

"Well, when you fainted, he just lost his head." Courtney then did an imitation of Ryoma: "GET A DOCTOR! A GLASS OF WATER! ANYTHING, JUST GO!"

She then laughed, and Sakuno managed to smile back weakly, though her mind was racing. Echizen Ryoma was known to be cool, indifferent, and utterly ruthless on the tennis court. Since when does he go out of his mind? And for _her?_

"So what's the secret?" Courtney asked teasingly. "How did you manage to be immune to him?"

Sakuno blushed scarlet, and mumbled something about having a boyfriend already.

"Well, we'd better get this into the trash can." Courtney said brightly, turning to the roses. "Pity they're so pretty. But anything from a perverted old man doesn't belong here!"

Courtney kept her promise and came for Sakuno right when she finished. She even guessed who was Kyouhei, and told Sakuno that he was even worse than she imagined.

"That f-ing a--hole" she snarled. "Wish I could rip his head off!"

When they came out, Sakuno was astonished to see Ryoma's sleek black limousine pull up in front of the hotel.

"Ryoma said we could borrow his limo," Courtney said lightly, as if borrowing limos was a common practice.

However, he never showed up. But his chaffeur always came on Mondays, and whenever Fuji was too busy to pick up Sakuno.

Ever since she rejected Ryoma for the second time, Sakuno couldn't think of him without a pang of guilt.

She missed him. Sorely. His sending his limo, but not coming in person, made it worse. Even if he wasn't there, Sakuno could imagine him sitting next to her, his long legs stretched out gracefully, his face framed by glossy black hair, his expression bored and arrogant, though when he looked at her, his smouldering eyes always gave her a thrill down the spine.

_"You're the only girl I've seen who can make him go crazy."_ Courtney's voice echoed in her head.

Sakuno knew that Ryoma fancied her. But she was so wrapped up in her insecurities (what did Ryoma see in her?), so afraid that his attention might be only a passing whim (he could choose a million girls), so skeptical of the possibility that Ryoma would fall for her (when he totally ignored her six years ago!), that she never stopped to consider seriously to be his girlfriend.

But...a year has passed since they met, and as far as she knew, Ryoma didn't show interest in anyone. Courtney's word confirmed that.

Surely he didn't need to bother with her anymore, especially since she rejected him twice. But he still sent his limo (Courtney might have threatened him, but still...), a sign that he still cared for her.

Sakuno wondered, for the very first time, if she had made a mistake in accepting Fuji as her boyfriend.

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A/N: Sorry for this terribly late update! I don't know what happened to my brain. But I've said I'm going to finish this story, and I promise I will. There is only one chapter left, and maybe an epilogue. Kind of short, I know, but I haven't much inspiration. Plus, I always get tired of romances that drag too long!

A few points of interest:

1. Kyouhei is from Naoki Urasawa's Happy!. By the way, Urasawa is my favourite manga author, not only because of the awesome plot of his thriller manga, but also he depicts women as strong and capable, not just mindless eye-candy.

2. _Katsukara_ is real--in fact, I visited that restaurant when I was in Kyoto! I was in Japan this summer, and although it was really hot, the trip was fantastic : )

As you'd probably know already, this is going to be RyoSaku. Honestly, I like Fuji better (hence, FujiSaku is easier for me to write), but canon rules dictate me to make it RyoSaku (yes, even against my wishes!) Perhaps, if I ever do write FujiSaku, it's gonna be AU. I can't imagine FujiSaku if Ryoma is around.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Valentine's Day arrived.

The university was in chaos. Girls rushed or sneaked around, clutching boxes wrapped in bright ribbons. The few popular boys swaggered about or hid in corners, while the rest of the male population looked on in envy, or dropped hints to their crushes and female friends.

Sakuno sighed. She liked making chocolates and giving them away, but gradually, as she knew more and more people, it became more like a chore, an obligation. She made chocolates for people she didn't really like, because failing to do so might be impolite.

Fuji had originally planned for the typical movie-and-dinner date, but one of his professors decided to keep them in for extra work, or he'd fail them. Rumours had it that the professor was dumped by his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, so he had a special venom for this holiday.

When she knocked on the lab doors, a voice said, "Come in!"

Sakuno opened the door, and found Fuji and a couple of his medical school friends inside, doing some weird experiment with tubes and beakers.

"Ah! Your girlfriend has come for you, Fuji!" one student said, whistling.

"Go on, and if the old bat comes, we'll tell him that you got a stomachache and ran to the bathroom." another said, grinning.

Fuji merely smiled and got up, closing the door firmly behind him.

"I'm so glad you came, Sakuno-chan." he said, leaning down to kiss her.

Ever since the day Fuji had kissed her in public, his affection for her returned to usual; in fact, he became more ardent. Sakuno couldn't figure out why he changed in such a short time, but she didn't want to question him--as if she'd doubt her boyfriend's affection!

Still, she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. A devoted Fuji made her feel guilty, because she couldn't respond as wholeheartedly to him.

"Here...for you." Sakuno quickly held out her box of Valentine chocolates, trying to ignore a couple of giggling girls who just passed by.

Fuji looked radiant.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Syusuke." Sakuno said, blushing. "I'm sorry that we couldn't go out today."

And she truly meant it and looked it. She knew how much he had looked forward to this day, only to have it turned into a day of boring lab work.

"Never mind," Fuji smiled gently, and drew her close. "I'll make it up to you on White Day. I promise."

There was an odd look in his eyes, and Sakuno was somewhat confused.

What did he plan to do on White Day?

Her train of thought was cut off when he kissed her again.

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As the day of the piano competition drew nearer, Sakuno grew more and more nervous. She took a break from her part-time job and Yuzuyu's lessons in order to concentrate fully. If she won this competition, then all the years she had been practicing so hard would really pay off.

On the day before the competition, Ryuzaki Sumire called. Sakuno was thrilled to hear from her grandmother.

Just when Sakuno entered college, Sumire retired from her coaching at Seigaku, as the job was really demanding. She bought a nice, traditional house in the suburbs of Kyoto, and moved there to enjoy the remaining years of her life. Sakuno visited occasionally, and was pleased to see her grandmother in good health.

"Hello? Oh, obaa-chan!"

"Guess where I am."

"Eh? Don't tell me--are you in Tokyo?"

Sumire laughed. "That's right. I'm at a friend's house now; just arrived by the bullet train. Which means--I'm coming to see your competition tomorrow!"

"Oh!" Sakuno was overwhelmed. She had expected the phone call, but not a personal visit! "That's wonderful, obaa-chan. Thank you so much."

A while after Sakuno hung up, Courtney knocked on the door.

"Package for you, Sakuno," she said, tossing a small packet on the bed. "I just cleaned out the mailbox."

There was no return address on the packet. Sakuno opened it--and out tumbled an expensive gold necklace.

Courtney's eyes bulged.

A note was attached on the necklace:

"_My dear little Ryuzaki,_

_I missed you since you haven't shown up recently, so I made inquiries. I hear that you are to enter a piano competition, so I decided to send you something for good luck. Wear it!_

_Yours truly,_

_Kyouhei."_

Sakuno's good mood immediately dissipated. She threw down the necklace in disgust.

"God, Sakuno. Not _him_ again?"

Sakuno nodded. "He just won't stop pestering me."

Courtney crossed her arms. "It's really sick of him to have this unhealthy stalkerish obssession with you. Next time, maybe you'll be getting a wedding ring!"

"No!" Sakuno couldn't bear the notion.

"Sakuno, you can't go on like this! Report him to the police; surely this is enough!"

"You're right." Sakuno said, her temper getting the better of her. "When I see him next time, I'll return this and tell him if he keeps on bothering me, I'll call the police."

"Good." Courtney nodded. "Oh, by the way, did Ryoma call?"

Sakuno shook her head. Even though she knew he had no obligation to contact her, she was hurt. Perhaps she had been wrong that he still cared.

"That's weird. I thought he had a soft spot for you. _Even _if he's a full-fledged tennis machine."

Sakuno couldn't help smiling at this harsh, but accurate description. Still, her heart ached at the thought Ryoma should have forgotten her.

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But it turned out that he hadn't forgotten after all. The next morning, an express parcel was delivered to their apartment, bearing the logo of Cesario's.

The moment she opened the parcel, the heavenly smell of buttered toast permeated the air, and Sakuno was transported back to the first date she had with Ryoma. How she missed him...

_Stop thinking about him, Sakuno! Today you have to do your best and win the scholarship!_

Courtney never heard of Cesario's, though, but she did enjoy the croissants.

"This is awesome." she said, apparently thinking that Sakuno ordered the breakfast herself. "Next time I want to go there too!"

Tomoka and Ann also came over to help Sakuno get dressed. Even though Sakuno insisted that the judges won't care what she wears, the girls persisted in "dressing up," like Sakuno was a Barbie doll or something.

"Your beauty will enhance your performance!" Tomoka said, pinning up Sakuno's hair with a sparkling silver butterfly clip.

"Treat us a big dinner when you get the scholarship," Ann said, smiling.

"You look awesome." Courtney said. Coming from a girl who was attractive enough to be a model, this was a compliment.

Moreover, when Fuji arrived to drive Sakuno to the competition, he stared at Sakuno for a total of five seconds.

"Hey!" Ann said. "She's going to be late if we don't hurry."

"Right." Fuji shook his head, smiling. "Forgive me."

He reached for her hand, and bending his head to her ear, whispered, "You're beautiful."

Sakuno turned a pretty shade of pink.

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The arena where the competition was held was crowded. It took some time before Sakuno found her grandmother and other friends.

"Obaa-chan!" Sakuno gave her grandmother a hug. "Thank you so much for coming."

Ryuzaki Sumire laughed heartily. Country life, it seemed, suited her well. "Of course I had to come, Sakuno. You are my grand-daughter."

"SAKUNO!" Nodame thrust a stuffed toy in Sakuno's hands. "Here, this will give you good luck!"

"Sakuno nee-san!" Yuzuyu came running over, Yumiko following close behind. "Wow, Sakuno nee-san is so pretty!"

"Ryoma isn't here." Courtney frowned, looking around. "He couldn't have forgotten!"

Without thinking, Sakuno touched her lips, remembering the smell and taste of buttered toast, just a few hours ago.

And she remembered sitting in Ceserio's with Ryoma, having a wonderful time talking and discussing their careers.

And she remembered twisting her ankle, and Ryoma coming to her rescue, armed with bandages and buttered toast.

And that hug he gave her...

"Sakuno? Sakuno!" Tomoka patted her arm. "Snap out of it, Sakuno!"

"Take it easy, Sakuno-chan." Fuji said, smiling warmly. "I have faith in you."

"Hai."

Soon it was time for Sakuno to leave. In the back stage, she recognized some other students who won prizes and were featured in small-press magazines. Sakuno clasped her hands and prayed.

When it was her turn, Sakuno walked on stage, and was almost blinded by the bright lights.

This must be the biggest competition she has ever been to.

She bowed to the judges and audience, willing her knees not to shake. The applause was deafening.

Sakuno placed her fingers on the piano.

And like a dream, Ryoma's words echoed in her head"

_I can do this..._

Sakuno straightened her shoulders.

_Everything's going to be fine..._

Sakuno took a deep breath.

_The audience is a bunch of aireheads..._

Sakuno smiled and began to play...

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Her performance went well. She didn't miss a single note, and she put in all the distinctions Professor Goda instructed. She felt happy, exalted when it was over. The applause was so loud that she thought the roof would fly off.

"Well done, Sakuno!" Tomoka said.

Nodame nodded vigorously. "Nodame was so moved!"

While waiting for the results, Sakuno clasped her hands and prayed. She had done the best. Now the rest was up to kami-sama.

Finally, a tall woman strode on the stage, carrying a long envelope.

"First, I want to say that we are honoured to have so many wonderful and talented musicians here, and it has been a genuine pleasure to hear you play. The judges had such a hard time deciding the winner!"

She laughed, and Tomoka muttered, "Oh, just get on with the results! Don't torture us with the suspense!"

"Okay, so now I shall announce the results. Those who are named, please come up to the stage." the woman slid open the envelope, and withdrew a folded piece of paper. "...in fifth place, XXX!"

Applause broke out in the crowd, as a young man stood up and made his way to the stage.

"Fourth place, XXX!"

"Third place, Ryuzaki Sakuno!"

Sakuno dropped Nodame's stuffed toy. _Third place?_

"_What?_" Courtney exclaimed.

Tomoka, Nodame, and Yuzuyu gasped loudly. Ann and Yumiko swiftly turned to gaze at Sakuno. Sumire and Fuji, sitting on either side of Sakuno, squeezed her arm.

"Go." Fuji whispered.

Numbly, Sakuno threaded her way through the crowd and went up to the stage. She barely heard the clapping from the audience, barely heard the announcement of second and first place, barely smiled when the prizes were awarded and cameras flashed.

She had lost. She didn't win the scholarship.

Of course, there were so many talented people competing. She shouldn't be so shocked that she didn't win first place. Third place wasn't so bad, out of several hundred opponents...

No, it was. What was the use of a dingy little plaque? It couldn't send her to New York.

Sakuno wished that she could disappear into thin air, as her friends crowded round her, offering sympathy in various ways. She knew they were concerned about her, but she didn't need sympathy now. She just wanted to go home.

A strong arm wrapped round her shoulders.

"Come, Sakuno." Her grandmother was saying. "You're coming home with me."

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A light breeze blew across the small garden, causing the wind chime ring in gentle, tinkling sounds. Sakuno sat on the tatami mat, and gazed at a cherry blossom tree in the garden. Tiny white buds have sprouted on the branches.

The shuffling of bare feet sounded behind her, and Ryuzaki Sumire sat down next to her granddaughter.

"Have some tea, child."

"Thanks, obaa-chan."

Sakuno sipped the hot jasmine tea, feeling warmth spread through her body.

After the competition, Sumire insisted on taking her back to Kyoto for a few days. Spring break has started, so she didn't have to go to school. Sakuno agreed; she wanted some peace and quiet after the feverish activity in the past several weeks. Here, at her grandmother's traditional Japanese house in Kyoto suburbs, everything was so different, like a whole new world, that she found it quite easy to forget about her disappointment, look into herself, and focus on the next step.

"So what do you plan to do?" Sumire asked.

"I'll enter other competitions and save up from my part-time job." Sakuno said. "And if I still don't have enough, I can wait another year."

"Good." Sumire was glad to see her granddaughter recovered so quickly. Sakuno had looked so pale when she learned that she didn't win. "And how are things between you and Fuji?"

Sakuno flushed. "Everything's fine. He--he has been very good to me." _So good, that I don't know how to repay him._

Sumire nodded. "You've been going out for six months?"

"Seven."

"Right. Have you thought of what to do with him when you leave for America?"

"Obaa-chan!" Sakuno protested. "We don't even know if I can go abroad next year!"

Sumire laughed. "There's no harm thinking ahead. If you go abroad, you'll be spending two years away from him. You might want to consider a long-term commitment."

"Eh?"

"Just a suggestion." Sumire patted her back. "I trust my granddaughter to make her own decisions."

"Obaa-chan..."

"My, time has flown quickly." Sumire said, looking up at the sky. "It seemed just yesterday that you were all junior high school students. And now you're grown-up and in a serious relationship with Fuji! I never expected that to happen!"

Sakuno smiled slightly. She never expected that either.

"Back at that time, you used to have this huge crush on Ryoma." Sumire grinned. "By the way, where is he now? Still in Tokyo?"

Sakuno swallowed her tea in a sudden, and felt her throat burn. "Um--I think so."

"And have you seen him lately?"

Sakuno shook her head.

"Same as before." Sumire sighed. "Caring about nothing but tennis."

_No. If only you knew what happened between him and I._

Sakuno finished her tea, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth. Which was strange, because usually Sumire brewed tea perfectly.

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White Day arrived, just a few days after Sakuno returned to Tokyo.

Fuji picked her up from her apartment.

"Are you all right now, Sakuno-chan?"

"Un. Don't worry about me!" Sakuno assured him. "There are always other scholarships I can try for."

"Right." Fuji smiled.

"So where are we going today?" Sakuno said, eager to change the subject.

"You'll see."

Fuji parked the car at the side of a park. Sakuno looked around as they strolled on the grounds. The surroundings looked vaguely familiar.

Then it suddenly hit her.

This was the place where she consented to be his girlfriend.

Fuji led her to a bench under a cherry blossom tree. Pink petals fluttered down now and then. He couldn't have picked a more romantic spot for an outing.

"Like it?" he said, smiling.

Sakuno nodded. "It's lovely."

They sat on the bench for a while, enjoying the atmosphere of early spring.

"Seven months ago, right here, you said yes." Fuji said, a dreamy look on his face. "Shall I get the same answer today?"

"Eh?"

Warm fingers brushed on her eyelids. "Close your eyes."

A tiny rustle, and a second later, Fuji took off his hand.

"Open your eyes."

There, on Fuji's palm, lay a small box, lid open. A diamond ring, sitting on purple velvet, glittered and flashed in the sunlight.

"It would give me endless happiness," Fuji whispered. ", if Ryuzaki Sakuno will be my wife."

To tell the truth, Sakuno was _not_ completely shocked. She had the feeling that Fuji will propose someday, not to mention that Tomoka, Ann, Yumiko...etc., had been teasing her about this all the time.

However, she never expected he would speak so soon. They haven't even graduated from college!

Fuji guessed what she was thinking.

"At least we can get engaged first. Not only because I'd like it, but I thought since you are going abroad soon, a ring on your finger would keep others from bothering you. And--since you didn't win the scholarship, I figured that as your husband-to-be, I can assist you and no one will think it strange."

Sakuno could almost cry, so moved she was.

As Fuji's wife, she knew she'd lead the life of a princess. And she'd love to have Yuzuyu as a real niece.

In her mind, Tomoka, Ann, Yumiko, and even Tae, stood before her and pleaded, "Come on, Sakuno! He's handsome, smart, rich, and utterly devoted to you. What more are you asking for?"

Say yes, her mind urged. Make him happy.

Sakuno raised her hand, to let him put the ring on her finger, but an inexplicable force stilled her.

"Sakuno is destined to be with Echizen Ryoma!" Nodame's voice echoed through her head.

"I trust my granddaughter to make her own decisions." Sumire had said confidently.

Sakuno was certain that Fuji would be good to her. But would she be good to him? Could she promise herself to love him the same way he did?

In a flash, she saw herself--really looked into herself--and realized how selfish she was. She only considered his proposal because he would provide her with wealth and stability. She only saw the benefits he would give her.

What if he wasn't rich?

What if he wasn't good-looking?

What if he wasn't the model man?

She would have refused him in the beginning. She accepted him for material reasons, and tried to convince herself it was the right thing to do.

_I don't want to hurt him,_ Sakuno thought. _But I'd hurt him much, much worse if I marry him without love. _

_Be strong, Sakuno. It's only fair to him that you tell the truth._

Sakuno withdrew her hand.

"I can't marry you, Fuji-senpai." she said.

And caught her breath. She had meant to say "Syusuke." But somehow, in her determination to be honest with him, the old honorific slipped out.

Fuji looked as though the temperature had dropped below zero.

He didn't expect her to throw her arms around him and cry with joy. Sakuno wasn't giddy or boisterous. He had expected her to hesitate, to ask him to give her some time to consider, or even, if she _did_ say no, she'd break it to him gently, and apologize profusely.

But this brute refusal was a complete surprise. If she suddenly took out a gun and shot him, his expression couldn't have been more similar.

That look on his face was like a knife to Sakuno's heart. She wanted to punish herself for inflicting such pain on him.

"I'm sorry! So sorry! I--it's all my fault."

And she told him everything.

Fuji listened quietly. He kept his expression calm, but inside he was breaking. So all this time, she only cared for Ryoma. He should have known it--six years earlier, at Seigaku, anyone could see that Sakuno had no eyes for anyone but Ryoma.

Yet he couldn't blame her. He realized that doing so much for her has burdened and pressurized her, instead of making her love him. She has also suffered much.

"Don't cry, Sakuno-chan." Fuji tried to smile, but this time, he couldn't don his mask. "It's all right; I understand."

Sakuno shook her head. "I--I can't forgive myself--"

Fuji reached out and held her tear-stained face in his hands.

"Look at me, Sakuno-chan." he said quietly, but firmly. "Don't blame yourself. Even if your heart belongs to Echizen, you have given me seven months in heaven as your boyfriend. I would not trade anything in the world for these seven months."

He rose, and gave her a bow.

"Thank you, Sakuno-chan, for the happiness you gave me."

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A/N: Actually, I only planned to do one chapter, but it turned out to be too long, so I'm cutting it in half. Therefore--we still have one more chapter plus an epilogue to go!

Sorry to those in favour of FujiSaku, as I've said, this pairing doesn't work out for me while Ryoma is around. Poor Fuji, my heart also broke when I had to write Sakuno's refusal...I think I'll have to do a FujiSaku story later to compensate him. Any ideas?


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Many thanks to **Olivine** for beta-ing this chapter!

Chapter Thirteen

Sakuno felt so utterly wretched after she refused Fuji's proposal that she kept to her room for three days. Even though he had acted calm and told her not to worry about him, she knew she had wounded him deeply.

News of her and Fuji traveled fast. Neither of them broadcasted the fact, but Tomoka and Nodame did a good job spreading around that Ryuzaki Sakuno had turned down Fuji Syusuke's offer of marriage.

Sakuno did the right thing by staying home; Courtney had collected quite a few hate-mails in the post. Had she gone to school for piano practice, as she sometimes did, she might have suffered public humiliation. Fuji was immensely popular, being everything a girl wanted, and many people couldn't believe that Sakuno had turned him down. Many saw her as a fickle, shameless hussy who had just fooled around with Fuji.

Her friends all stood by her. Tomoka, even though she did think it was a pity that Sakuno wasn't going to be "Mrs. Fuji", said that Sakuno must have had her reasons and anyone who dared speak ill of her best friend should go to hell. Ann, who had always suspected that Sakuno hadn't really been in love with Fuji, patted her back and told her not to feel bad; a million girls would have gladly taken her place. Nodame urged her to go and confess to Echizen Ryoma, so they could all live happily ever after.

Still, Sakuno had felt bad. How would she continue giving lessons to Yuzuyu? Last time, the little girl had asked her innocently, "Sakuno nee-chan, when are you going to become my aunt?"

Luckily, Yumiko called and told her not to worry. She was very nice when she made Sakuno understand that she didn't hate her just because she refused her brother. But she thought it best if the piano lessons were suspended for a while.

It was only when the manager of the hotel called that Sakuno got a grip on herself. Since she had not won the piano competition, she had to focus on what she was to do now.

To tell the truth, winning third place in the competition did do some good after all. She received a few job offers, though none paid as well as her current part-time job.

When she returned to the hotel, Sakuno was displeased to see Kyouhei there, smirking at her. When she finished playing, he came up to her.

"May I have a word?"

Sakuno consented, figuring that she should put an end to this trouble. He led her to an empty corridor.

"Here," she held out the necklace he sent her. "Thanks for giving this to me, but I really cannot accept it."

Kyouhei didn't take it. "Why not? It suits you."

"No." Sakuno kept her hand outstretched. "Kyouhei-san, I appreciate your generosity, but I can't--"

"Yes you can." Kyouhei took a step forward. "You've bewitched me from the first time I laid my eyes on you."

Sakuno felt a twinge of fear. The look on his face was similar to that of a hungry wolf's. She looked around for a way to escape, but the only route was blocked by him.

"So why not make a deal with me?"

"De--deal?"

"You are a woman in need of financial assistance. And I am a man in need of a beautiful young companion. We are well suited for each other, Ryuzaki Sakuno."

Kyouhei took another step forward, his tall and intimidating frame more evident than ever. Sakuno stepped backwards and felt the cold, hard wall against her back. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead.

"Therefore, what I propose is this: if you promise to be my mistress, I will guarantee your successful graduation from Julliard. In fact, I have a penthouse suite in Manhattan. You can stay there, and I will visit you from time to time. Don't you think this is a perfect arrangement?"

He leered at her unpleasantly, and Sakuno clenched her fists. How dare he suggest such a thing!

"No deal!" she said loudly.

Kyouhei laughed. "Who said you had a choice?"

He made to touch her face, but Sakuno dodged.

"Don't touch me, or I'll scream."

"Haven't you realized yet? The manager of this hotel is under my control. I promised to assist him with his debts if he told me everything I needed to know about you. No one will come to your rescue, so you might as well be  
a good girl and yield to me."

He grabbed at her roughly.

Sakuno tried to wrench her hands out of his, but his grip was iron-like.

"RYOMA!" The word burst from her lips, though Sakuno didn't know why.

Miraculously, a deep voice resounded through the air.

"STOP!"

Sakuno couldn't believe her eyes. Echizen Ryoma appeared, running towards them. And surprisingly, Shiba followed, her reporter's camera slung over her shoulder.

"Ryo--Ryoma-kun? Shiba-san?"

Ryoma grabbed Kyouhei and, with a powerful swipe of his arm, sent the older man sprawling on the ground. Shiba rushed over and put her arms around Sakuno.

"Are you all right?" she said. Sakuno nodded, though her body was still trembling slightly.

"You insolent child!" Kyouhei rubbed his arms, his face livid. "I'm warning you, no one messes with the woman I set my eye on!"

Ryoma raised his eyebrows. "That was my line."

"How dare you--"

"I know all about you, Kyouhei." Ryoma said coolly. "You threatened the manager of this hotel, bribed a couple of judges at the piano competition, and now you're attempting sexual assault on a girl young enough to be your daughter."

Kyouhei stared at him with wide eyes. "You--you are--"

"Echizen Ryoma."

Kyouhei looked as though Ryoma had punched him in the stomach. Echizen Ryoma, Japan's national hero, world-famous tennis star, and recently named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of the Century! Even though Kyouhei was a wealthy president of a finance company, he knew that he would be doomed if he went against Ryoma. It would be like facing the wrath of all of Japan.

Ryoma continued. "I'll give two choices. First, I can hand you to the police, who will handle your crimes in a private, quiet manner. Second, we have a reporter here who can guarantee a spot for your name in the headlines tomorrow."

Shiba nodded. "I've taped everything you just did to Ryuzaki! And I'm more than ready to write the story!"

Kyouhei's face went from purple to red.

"Fine." He croaked. "I'll take the first choice."

Ryoma nodded. With a quick dial of his cell phone, a policeman arrived and took Kyouhei away.

"Mou!" Shiba pouted. "You made me miss a good story, Ryoma-sama!"

Ryoma shrugged. "You can have an exclusive interview instead."

"Really?" Shiba said excitedly.

"Only one."

"Okay!" Shiba grinned. She glanced at her watch and jumped. "God, look at the time! I'd better head back, there's still a piece I need to edit. I'll leave Ryuzaki-chan to you!"

After Shiba left, Ryoma gave Sakuno a long, hard look.

"Idiot."

Sakuno blinked. She had seen Ryoma angry before, but never _this_ furious.

"What were you thinking, coming to an isolated place like this with that scumbag?" He indicated the deserted corridor with a wave of his arm.

"I...I didn't think--"

"Don't you care about your safety?"

"Well, I..."

Ryoma sighed. It seemed like every time he saw her, she was in some kind of disaster--twisting her ankle, catching a fever, and now this. God knows how much trouble she caused him.

"Come on." He said.

She blinked. "Eh?"

"I'm taking you home."

This time, she made no protest.

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As the limo sped along the road, Sakuno's mind was brimming with questions. Why had Ryoma suddenly appeared? And how had he known about Kyouhei?

"Courtney told me an old guy was stalking you." Ryoma answered when Sakuno raised her questions. "So I asked Shiba-san and her reporter friends to do some investigating. We needed sufficient evidence to expose his crimes."

"So he--he bribed the judges?"

"Two. He didn't have ties to all of them, but two were enough to keep you from winning first place."

Sakuno felt like giving Kyouhei a good kick in the shin. All her hard work wasted because of him.

"And I knew he had some serious intentions on you, since he went to the extremes of bribing the judges. So I came today to pick you up."

Without thinking, Sakuno reached out and touched his arm.

"Thank you for saving me," she murmured.

Ryoma looked at her, and found himself trapped in the star-like brightness of her eyes, which were especially alluring in the darkness of the limo. The warmth of her palm sent a thrilling sensation through him.

But just at that tender moment, her cell phone began to ring. Sakuno immediately took her hand away, and Ryoma felt like cursing.

"Hello?"

"Sakuno!" It was Courtney. "Where are you?"

Sakuno told her she was on her way home.

"Is Ryoma with you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Listen, Sakuno, I'm terribly sorry, but some of my friends have decided to crash at our place and took every space available to sleep in. So I think it's best that you don't come home tonight."

Sakuno's eyes widened.

"And there's this book I left at Ryoma's place. Can you get it and give it to me tomorrow?" Something about Courtney's voice spelled trouble. "Oh, gotta go now. See you!"

She hung up.

"What's the matter?" Ryoma asked uneasily, seeing Sakuno gawk like a fish out of water.

Sakuno relayed to him what Courtney had said, word for word.

"Did she really leave a book at your place?"

"No."

In a second, they understood what Courtney intended.

Ryoma sighed again. "Well?"

Sakuno hesitated, debating the possibility of Courtney letting her back in her apartment.

"…Okay."

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When Sakuno entered Ryoma's apartment, she felt a strangely nostalgic sensation--it was like she belonged there. Everything was familiar, from the abundance of Ponta cans stacked on the kitchen counter to the way Karupin junior rubbed his face against her ankles.

"You can stay in the guest room." Ryoma said.

"Hai." Of course she'd take the guest room.

"If you need anything, let me know."

"Hai."

An uncomfortable silence ensued. Both of them felt the need to say something more, yet didn't know where to begin. Sakuno wondered if she should simply retire to the guest room, when a rumble from Ryoma's stomach broke the tension.

"Are you hungry?" Sakuno asked, smiling.

"Yeah." Ryoma was somewhat irritated. Of course he was hungry, considering he rushed to the hotel to find Sakuno right after a tiring match. He barely had had time for dinner.

"Let me fix you something to eat." Sakuno offered. "I'm a little hungry myself."

And she went to the kitchen, giving him no chance to refuse. She wanted to do something for him, after he had saved her from Kyouhei. Although she lacked confidence in many things, she knew that she could cook.

Within a half hour, Sakuno set two steaming bowls on the table. Using what ingredients there were in the fridge, she prepared a basic meal of white rice topped with grilled salmon, shredded seaweed, and poached eggs. She also  
brewed a pot of fragrant green tea.

"Itadakimasu," they both said, and started to eat.

Ryoma enjoyed the food. It was similar to the Japanese breakfasts Nanako used to make--simple, healthy, and tasty. As he ate, he reminisced of the past year, beginning with his return to Japan. Meeting Sakuno had definitely not been on his agenda, but since meeting and rediscovering her, she had found a way to his heart, changing him forever.

He knew he hadn't treated her in a very gentlemanly manner--something he was sure Fuji was capable of. As Courtney was quick to point out, he was a complete idiot when it came to pursuing girls. He just didn't have any experience; he was much better at warding them off.

Perhaps that was why Sakuno had refused him--twice. But he couldn't forget her, especially when Courtney kept him informed with everything about Sakuno. At first he had told Courtney, "I don't want to hear the word 'Ryuzaki' again." But when she told him about an old pervert stalking Sakuno, Ryoma had felt his blood boil. He pressed Courtney for every single detail, conveniently forgetting that he had vowed to have nothing to do with Ryuzaki Sakuno anymore.

Since he preferred not to see Sakuno face-to-face (his pride was wounded from the past rejections), Ryoma busied himself in protecting her indirectly; by sending his limo, and hiring Shiba to uncover dirt on Kyouhei, whom he had learned to be the president of a financial company. Once they had found enough evidence, they could have Kyouhei arrested, and so he would never be a bother to Sakuno again.

However, before Ryoma could take action, another earth-shattering thing had happened. Courtney told him that Sakuno's boyfriend had proposed, and she had refused.

Why? If she had chosen Fuji over him, why would she have turn down his proposal?

Several hours earlier, Courtney had offered her personal opinion:

"You know what, Ryoma? I'm not really surprised that Sakuno said no. When she talks about that boyfriend of hers, it's like she's talking about a respected elder. But when I mention your name, she tends to drop things or trip over furniture. I think she just realized her true feelings when he proposed."

He had been silent. She continued, "So why don't you try again? You could pick her up at the hotel tonight; I want to go out with Kevin to this new jazz bar."

Thank god he had agreed to her suggestion. When he had witnessed Kyouhei molesting Sakuno, he had really seen red. How dare this old man treat Sakuno like that! If he had had his way, he would have beaten Kyouhei black and blue, thrown him in a cell, and fed him nothing but Inui juice for the rest of his miserable life.

Now it seemed a miracle that Sakuno was sitting across him, in his apartment, and cooking for him. And best of all--she was a free woman. She had refused Fuji, and if Courtney's speculation was correct...

Ryoma was so deep in thought that he spoke not a word through the entire meal.

"Is the food all right?" Sakuno asked, a little worried. He looked so serious.

He didn't answer. He stared at the teapot, and Sakuno misunderstood.

"I'll...I'll get some more." Sakuno took the teapot and went to the sink.

Ryoma suddenly broke the silence.

"I heard that Fuji proposed to you."

Color rose in her face. "Yes."

"And you refused him."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Sakuno, who was spooning tea leaves into the teapot, paused.

"Why?" Ryoma repeated.

He was a relentless player on the tennis court, and was no different when it came to daily life. Especially when Sakuno was concerned.

"Because--I--I didn't love him."

There was a scraping sound as Ryoma pushed back his chair.

"And is there another?"

Sakuno couldn't lie.

"Yes," she whispered.

And suddenly, Sakuno realized that Ryoma was standing behind her.

"Tell me who he is," he breathed in her ear, his voice deep and husky.

She knew she couldn't deceive herself any longer. After the agony of turning down Fuji's proposal, Sakuno had learned her lesson. From now on, she would be honest to herself. There will be hardships and there will be consequences, but she will take the courage to deal with them, instead of crushing her true feelings and running away.

Sakuno turned around. Ryoma was so near, his large, brilliant eyes smoldering. Yet she held his gaze determinedly.

"It's you." She said simply.

_Clang!_ The spoon she was holding dropped onto the floor as Ryoma closed the distance between them.

He crushed her against the kitchen wall, driving her senses to a boiling point as he kissed her like he had been waiting for a century. Her hands were pinned to either side of her head as he trailed a fiery path from her mouth to the hollow of her throat, making her writhe and gasp. She cried out when he slid his hands under her shirt, but her scream was cut off when he captured her mouth again. He was like a cigarette lighter, igniting desire and lust and passion in her.

It wasn't until the teapot knocked onto the floor did he let go.

"Ryoma..." she uttered breathlessly, unable to gather a coherent thought.

He smirked and leaned forward, so their foreheads touched.

"Sakuno."

It was the first time he had said her given name. Nothing, not even the most beautiful sound of music, was sweeter to her ears.

The fire was still burning in his eyes as he looked her over. She was still breathing heavily, her lips puffy and swollen from his kisses. Her hair had come down from its bun and sprung loose about her shoulders, wavy and flowing. Her blouse was crumpled with buttons undone, giving him a tantalizing view of the creamy skin beneath.

He swallowed. When she had confessed that she loved him, all hell had broken loose. His body had reacted so fast; he wasn't even aware of what he was doing. Now he was acutely aware that he wanted her, wanted to possess her fully, wanted to make her his.

"Can we...?"

Sakuno was adult enough to interpret the passion in his face. She trembled a little--did she want this? She was no longer Fuji's girlfriend, and she loved the man in front of her. What objection could she make?

"Okay." She whispered.

The next second, she was swept off her feet and borne to his bedroom, where pure bliss blossomed and paradise was created.

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Rays of morning sunlight flooded into the room.

Sakuno opened her eyes.

Where was she? This wasn't her room, or the guest room.

Then, all of a sudden, she remembered.

A quick swivel to the side confirmed that she wasn't dreaming. Lying next to her was Echizen Ryoma, still fast asleep. Glossy black hair spilled on the pillow, tanned skin the color of rich milk tea, the contours of his face as finely chiseled as any Greek statue. Gorgeousness personified.

For a moment, she just lay there, admiring him. He was her first and last crush, the only man who had truly touched her heart. Six years ago, she had seen him off at the airport, sadly thinking that they would never meet again. Never would she have imagined that one day, she would end up with him, in his apartment, on his bed.

The clock on the wall told her it was nearly ten. She really should be up; usually she rose at seven. It would not be good to disrupt her daily routine.

Sakuno tried to move, but Ryoma had his arm around her waist in a vise-like grip. After a few futile efforts, Sakuno had to speak.

"Ryoma-kun..."

Ryoma stirred.

"Wh--what?" he asked thickly.

"Let me go."

Her response was the tightening his arm and burrowing of his face in her neck. "Yadda."

"Ryoma-kun! I have to get up!"

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It took some time before Ryoma reluctantly released her. He kept his eyes on her, though, as she slipped into her blouse and skirt, and ran a comb through her shining hair. They were simple gestures, but she made them beautiful.

Sakuno was aware of his eyes on her and blushed, remembering the night before; wild, passionate, exhilarating. She had thought that this kind of thing only happened in movies, but no--she, ordinary Ryuzaki Sakuno, had just spent a night with Echizen Ryoma, world famous tennis star. She never would have even dreamed of such a possibility.

But it was delightful to wake up seeing him. Well, it had been a little bothersome when he hadn't wanted to let her get up, but there was a certain thrill of it all. Ryoma wanted her. The tables had turned; she was no longer running after him. Instead, they were standing together, facing the future ahead.

When she entered the kitchen, Karupin junior came padding towards her, meowing plaintively. Apparently he was hungry.

"Okay, Karupin-chan." Sakuno patted the cat's furry head. "Let's get you some breakfast."

While she fed Karupin junior milk and cat treats, Ryoma ambled into the kitchen. He wore his dark blue dressing gown, hair tousled and unruly, with his chin unshaved. Still, he was ravishingly handsome in a rugged way.

"Ohayo, Ryoma-kun." Sakuno greeted him. "Would you like some milk or coffee?"

"Anything you're having."

Usually, Ryoma just grabbed some toast and coffee for breakfast, as he never was one to spend time preparing a meal. But somehow with Sakuno bustling around the kitchen, he found it necessary to join in the preparations, like buttering bread and slicing pieces of fresh fruit to go with yogurt.

They sat down at the table and enjoyed a late breakfast. Sunlight poured in through the windows and bathed the room in a warm glow. Outside, the sky was a bright blue, with a few clouds like cotton candy.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Sakuno asked, smiling.

Ryoma looked up. "Un."

A ray of light happened to shine into the room in such a way that it struck the wall behind Sakuno, causing some of her hair turn a sparkling gold.

Ryoma drew a quick breath. She had never looked so lovely.

And at that juncture, he realized there was nothing in the world he wanted more than this. He wanted every morning to be like this: to wake up with Sakuno next to him, to hear her utter his name in her soft voice, to sit down to breakfast with her, and to see her smile at him from across the table.

He wanted, no, _needed_ her, every inch of her.

And so, he had to have her. Permanently.

Instantly, Ryoma made the biggest decision of his life, right then and there.

Unlike Sakuno, who tended to go through a long mental process when facing something huge, Ryoma handled things in a straightforward manner. He had never liked wasting time.

When Sakuno reached for the sugar bowl, she was startled when Ryoma's hand covered hers.

"Marry me." He said simply, yet so seriously.

Sakuno froze.

Was he crazy? They hadn't even started going out!

"You're kidding," she whispered.

"I'm not." There was a steely tinge in his voice that made it hard to doubt his sincerity. "So, is it a yes or no?"

He suddenly felt impatient. After all, he had waited a long time for this girl.

"Why me?" She found herself saying. "There are so many girls out there who--"

"I don't want them." Ryoma interrupted. "I just want you."

Even though his tone was irritated, he still sounded incredibly sweet.

Sakuno closed her eyes. It was hard to think when he was staring at her so intensely. There were so many things in the future, and they were both so busy...

"I can't." She blurted out.

"What?"

"I mean, not yet. I still have school, and after that I've got to work for graduate school--"

"Oh, not work again." Ryoma hated her part-time jobs; she had left him so many times because she had to work. "Look, I can afford for you to go anywhere you want."

"I'm not marrying you because I want you to sponsor me." Sakuno retorted. Why did every man who proposed to her suggest the same thing? "I'm going to earn it my own way, whether you like it or not. I'm not touching a cent of your money."

Ryoma was taken aback by the fire in her eyes. For a moment, Sakuno had looked like her grandmother. He had to admire her resolve, even though he'd rather she just quit her jobs and be with him. It definitely would save a lot of trouble. Still, her insistence about earning her own way touched him. She truly cared for him, not for his fame or money.

"Fine. Then what do you say we get engaged?"

Sakuno could feel the heat of his palm on her hand. He looked determined, and absolutely ready to be stubborn. Like if she refused, he would vow to remain a bachelor for the rest of his life.

Her rational side told her to reconsider. Being a celebrity's wife would not be easy. Life would definitely be more challenging, compared to the stability Fuji had offered.

But she wanted to be with him so much that it hurt. Yes, she knew he wasn't the nicest person around. Yes, she knew that millions of girls were crazy about him. Yes, she knew that his busy career wouldn't give them much time to be together.

Yet despite all these negatives, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She didn't know why, but she loved him--his eyes, his smile, his scowl, his way of looking at her, his state while playing tennis--everything. She had loved him from the very first day he had saved her on the train and trusted her horrible sense of direction. Sakuno's heart was never wholly hers since.

"Okay."

Karupin junior, who was purring contentedly by Sakuno's feet, had to jump out of the way as his master strode over to Sakuno and pulled her off her chair, right into his arms.

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Back in her apartment, Courtney looked at her watch and grinned. It was late afternoon, and Sakuno still hadn't returned.

Mission accomplished.

* * *

A/N: Finally! Ryoma and Sakuno are together (throws confetti in the air)! I know it seems kind of rushed, but...I really don't have the energy for any major changes. I've already went through several drafts of this chapter.

There is still an epilogue, so stay tuned!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks to **Olivine** for editing this chapter!

Epilogue

_Three years later…_

Osakada Tomoka and Tachibana Ann walked down the busy streets in Tokyo's Shinjuku area on their long-awaited shopping spree.

"I can't believe there are so many people on a Wednesday afternoon," Tomoka grumbled, after she managed to snag the last beaded purse in a store.

"You underestimate the consumer power from the younger generation." Ann smiled, indicating a group of giggling school girls in mini skirts.

"Oh god, that makes me feel so old." Tomoka shook her head. "Can you believe that we're nearing our mid-twenties?"

Ann grinned. "Or that you just dumped your eleventh boyfriend?"

Tomoka made a face. "Don't mention him, okay? I just want to move on and find someone better! Not that I have to look hard… he was such a jerk."

"There are many kinds of people in the world." Ann said thoughtfully. "Some people, like you, can fall in _and_ out of love many times. But there are people who only need to fall in love once for it to work out."

As though illustrating her point, the giggling schoolgirls suddenly started shrieking and pointing at an enormous built-in screen in the center of a tall edifice. The screen often showed the latest movie trailers and commercials.

At that moment, a Tiffany&Co. commercial was being played.

A young woman, arrayed in an elegant strapless black gown, was seated before a handsome grand piano. Her reddish-brown hair was gathered in a chignon at one side of her head, showing off the slenderness of her neck. A single red rose was pinned in her hair, and a heavy silver necklace glittered on her front.

She was playing the piano, the tinkling of keys matched well with the background sway of cellos and violins.

Then a young man approached her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. Dressed in an Armani suit, he looked so incredibly handsome that one wondered why he wasn't hauled off and given the lead of some Hollywood blockbuster film.

The woman stopped playing and looked up. The background music continued.

The man's other hand was outstretched. An exquisite silver ring, carved with intricate patterns and encrusted with diamonds lay on his palm.

The woman looked surprised for a second. Then a smile blossomed on her heart-shaped face.

She slowly raised her arm, and the man slipped the ring on her finger. He didn't smile broadly, but he wore a satisfied, contented look that conveyed how happy he was that the woman accepted his ring. The woman, on the other hand, was positively glowing. Her sweet smile contrasted with her sophisticated outfit, but her radiant look was infectious. It made you want to smile appreciatively with her.

The last scene of the commercial showed a large, gleaming image of the beautiful Tiffany ring, while the couple stood in the background. The man had his hand on the woman's cheek, while her hand was placed on his waist. They were not locked in a passionate embrace, yet somehow their position and expressions implied that they were deeply in love.

"Omigod!" gushed a schoolgirl, in a tone remarkably like Tomoka's while she had been at Seigaku. "I'd give an arm and leg to film a commercial with Echizen Ryoma!"

Her friend slapped her arm and giggled, "Even if you were given the chance, you'd swoon when you saw him!"

"It doesn't even matter." Another girl sighed to them. "He's getting married. To the girl we just saw, in fact."

"_What?_ So you mean--this commercial--it's REAL?"

"Nooooooooooo!"

Tomoka and Ann looked at each other and grinned. This wasn't the first time they'd heard someone breaking their heart over the loss of Ryoma.

As they walked away, Ann remarked, "That was a brilliant idea, though, the commercial thing. Or Sakuno would have to wait another year to go abroad."

"I never would have thought it was Shiba-san's idea." Tomoka said, shaking her head. "When Sakuno told me, I was like, _what?_ That reporter who used to follow us in Seigaku's games and even had sushi with us?"

It had been indeed Shiba who had suggested that Sakuno do some modeling or commercial work. Shiba had been struck by Sakuno's sweet, fresh look when she met her at the orphanage, and she had been further determined to help Sakuno when she learned of Kyouhei bothering her. So Shiba persuaded Sakuno to take up different work, pointing out that her studies abroad would certainly be delayed if she relied solely on her part-time jobs.

It hadn't difficult. Once Ryoma called for a press conference and announced to the whole world that he was engaged (and shocking everyone, who had assumed that he was either asexual or gay), Sakuno became famous. Reporters swarmed around her for juicy details, willing to pay a fortune for an exclusive interview (though this was all for naught; Sakuno was just as anxious to preserve her privacy as Ryoma was). And companies that were begging Ryoma to sponsor their product were eager to include Sakuno. She had never made so much money in her life.

"Well, it's a good thing she did." Ann smiled, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "I remember Sakuno had been so stubborn in refusing to let Ryoma pay for her tuition and stuff. She didn't want him to think she was marrying him for his money."

"Like Ryoma-sama would care." Tomoka shrugged. "I just _knew_ he was gaga for Sakuno. When she fell ill and had to stay at his place…That look in his eyes--ouch! I'd be burned if anyone looked at me like that!"

Ann laughed. "When's the wedding?" she asked. "I hear they plan to marry once Sakuno graduates from Julliard."

"Oh, I suppose some time in July or August. It's still several months away." Tomoka suddenly got very excited. "Yoshi! Do you realize there'll be loads of rich and famous guys at their wedding?"

"_And_ loads of rich and famous women." Ann reminded her, causing Tomoka's face to fall.

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Fuji Syusuke strolled on the sidewalk, glad to have a break from his training in the hospital. He had finished the necessary coursework, and was already a practicing doctor. Once he obtained the license, he could officially embark on his career as a pediatrician.

When he passed a magazine stand, he noticed that the cover of _Entertainment Monthly_ featured two people he knew quite well.

A picture of Echizen Ryoma, in the motion of smashing a tennis ball, occupied half of the cover, while Ryuzaki Sakuno, standing in front of a grand piano, took up the other half.

_Tennis champion and budding pianist tie the knot, _the caption read.

Fuji purchased a copy of the magazine and opened it. The featured article began as follows:

_After two years of engagement, Echizen Ryoma (24), World No. 1 tennis player and the youngest person in history to achieve a Career Grand Slam, has announced his marriage to Ryuzaki Sakuno (24), a rising new star in the world of classical piano. Echizen, who is currently preparing for his 26th Grand Slam tournament (Wimbledon), plans to move to New York to live with his future wife, who is expected to graduate from Julliard School this summer. Ryuzaki is reported to have been offered a spot on the New York Philharmonic, one of the handful of Japanese musicians to have such a chance. It is rumored that Echizen has purchased a $60 million townhouse on Madison Avenue as their future home..._

Fuji closed the magazine. It had been three years since he proposed to Sakuno. No one, not even his family, had known how much he had suffered when Sakuno rejected him as Fuji seldom let his feelings of pain surface. But he had devoted himself to his studies, had taken care of Yuzuyu when Yumiko had been busy, played tennis with Yuuta, and slowly, the pain had abated.

Now he could read about their upcoming wedding with a fairly neutral mind. There was still a faint ache in his heart, but if Sakuno was happy, then so be it. He would prefer that she smile with another man than repress herself with him.

The photos of Sakuno in the magazine were well taken, though he privately thought his own collection was better.

Which reminded him there was still something he had do.

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Echizen Ryoma yawned and stretched on the king-sized bed, where he was reading the paper. He didn't feel like getting up, but there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

A butler entered. Ryoma was staying at Lanesborough Hotel in London while competing in Wimbledon. The hotel provided a 24-hour private butler for every guest. Normally, Ryoma did not like having someone wait on him all the time, but there was so much fanmail coming in (some fans even stalked the hotel) that it was handy to let someone else deal with the trouble.

"Parcel for you, sir." The butler said respectfully.

"Leave it on the table."

"Very good, sir." The butler left after a short bow.

Ryoma took his own sweet time getting up. It was so annoying. Even though he made it clear to the world that he was engaged, his fans didn't seem perturbed. Matt, his agent, had suggested losing in a tournament to halt the fan income, but losing was a foreign word in Ryoma's vocabulary. At least for some time.

When he finally launched himself off the royal-blue bedspread, he scanned the parcel warily. There were things he had received previously that he _really_ wanted to forget.

But when he found the sender's name, he blinked. It read Fuji Syusuke.

A parcel from Fuji. Sakuno's ex-boyfriend.

Otherwise known to be an evil sadist, no matter how kind and serene he appeared to be.

And considering how he had stolen Sakuno away from Fuji's arms, god knows what the tensai might do to him. Could this be part of some nefarious plot? Maybe the parcel contained a ticking bomb to do away with him, as part of a Getting-Sakuno-Back conspiracy?

Ryoma tensed. He wondered if he should ask the butler to come in and open the parcel for him.

No, that would be stupid. Maybe it was just the latest innovation in Inui's experiments. Then again, if it _was_ Inui juice, it would still count as a lethal weapon; the fumes alone could kill.

It took him an entire fifteen minutes of standing and musing before realizing how stupid he was. As Courtney would say, he was an idiot when it came to Sakuno.

Ryoma pulled the parcel open. To his surprise, it contained a photo album and a box.

When Ryoma opened the album, he was stunned. Photos and photos of Sakuno, like glittering jewels, shone before his eyes. They were so well taken, every one of them, capturing her sweetness perfectly.

A message was attached on the back, written in Fuji's hand:

"_Echizen,_

_I have been photographing Sakuno-chan for years, and developed the best of them in this album. The rest I also give to you, as it would be more fitting that you possess them than I. Consider it as an early wedding gift._

_Make Sakuno-chan happy._

_Fuji Syusuke._"

Ryoma read the message twice. When he opened the box, it was filled with films.

Mixed feelings ran through him. He was slightly irritated that Fuji had spent so much time with Sakuno as to take so many pictures of her, and also slightly jealous that Fuji had the ability to observe the soul and essence of her. This album was more than enough evidence.

But then, what did it matter?

Sakuno didn't choose him.

Perhaps Fuji had a role in her past, but in her future, Ryoma would definitely take the lion's share.

Browsing through the photos, Ryoma was suddenly seized with a strong desire. Seeing her in the album wasn't enough; he wanted to see her in person.

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Ryuzaki Sakuno propped her elbows on the handrail and gazed at the sunset. Her apartment was on the sixteenth floor, so she was blessed with a good view. Whenever she felt tired or down, she'd come to the balcony to clear her mind.

Life had never been better. New York City did not disappoint her; she had seen numerous concerts and shows, some even for free. And not just classical music either. She had also enjoyed live jazz, rock, and even rap. And Julliard was such a wonderful experience too. Studying under masters, perfecting her skills, practicing with friends...she loved every minute of her life.

It wasn't all smooth-sailing, of course. There were rough times: when the weather was extreme, when people bothered her on the street, when the subway went on a strike, and most of all, when she missed her friends.

Tomoka and Nodame had both visited her; the former for pure amusement, the latter for a musical performance. Nodame had joined an orchestra in Europe and was doing quite well, in spite of her eccentric ways.

Ryoma also visited whenever possible. Although they had been engaged for two years, they could rarely see each other, as they both had hectic schedules. His parents, who resided at a luxurious house in Long Island, often invited Sakuno over, and already treated her as their daughter-in-law. Sakuno liked Rinko, but she was a little uncomfortable with Nanjiroh, who kept teasing her about her and Ryoma.

_"So the brat finally found himself a girl!"_

_"When am I going to see my grandchildren, eh?"_

_"Need any help with baby names?"_

Suddenly, light footsteps sounded behind her. Before Sakuno could turn around, strong arms wrapped around her body--lovingly and protectively.

"Ryoma-kun!"

His breath tickled her cheek. "I told you to drop the honorific."

"I know. Sorry, old habits die hard." Sakuno mumbled. "But how come you're here? I thought you were in London! I just saw the news this morning that you won--"

"I wanted to see you." He said simply.

Sakuno turned rosy red.

"I'm glad," she said softly. "I missed you, Ryoma."

She turned in his arms and smiled at him--a smile that Ryoma was familiar with, yet could never resist. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, she was irresistible.

He leaned down and kissed her, with all the longing, passion, and desire he held for her. Sakuno felt like she was melting from the warmth of the sun and the heat from his body.

When he finally released her, he whispered, "Play for me."

"Eh?" Sakuno's brain never functioned well when she was recovering from his kiss. Even though she had had plenty of experience in Ryoma's expertise, he still had the ability to take her breath away.

"The piano. Play a song for me."

Sakuno smiled. "Sure. What song would you like to hear?"

"Anything."

They went inside. Sakuno sat down before the piano, placed her fingers lightly over the keys, and thought for a second. Then, having made her choice, she began to play.

Ryoma stretched out on the couch, his eyes half-closed. The sound of music washed over him, and he felt relaxed and purified. Invigorated. Such was the powerful effect Sakuno had on him.

He could lay there and listen to her play for the rest of his life.

_Their_ life.

Together.

Forever.

The End.

* * *

A/N: Finished!!! Finally I can write the two magic words--"the" and "end!" (Dances wildly round the room) There was a point when I thought I'd never finish the story, but I just loved the idea of the Tiffany commercial, which is also the part of the ending I envisioned even before starting the story! I'm so elated that I've reached it! 

However...I must say I'm not 100 percent pleased with the story. Halfway through I got seriously blocked, probably because Ryoma's acting like a jerk, and I feel that I don't like Sakuno much as the story went--not that she isn't strong enough, she just became kind of boring, prudish, too modest, and too pretty for her own good. Hmm... then why the heck am I writing a RyoSaku story anyway? I don't know. Every time I set out to write something, the outcome isn't what I expect...

Still, it's _such_ a relief to finish this story! A big thank you to everyone who has read this story and given me support! I'm so glad you stuck with me to the very end! Arigatou gozaimasu!

ps. I've already a couple ideas for a FujiSaku story, but since I'm SO behind schoolwork that I don't think I'll be posting anything until Christmas. Which would you'd like to see first--a simple school story that overdoses in fluff, or a steamy medieval romance in which Fuji is a real prince?


End file.
